Sunrise
by Writing.Is.My.Everything1
Summary: Harper Reynolds has always hated the cold so when his father moves them up to Denali he is in his own personal hell. Not that he wasn't before. Struggling with his home life and school life, he's content to just take it day by day. Until his new teachers start to get close, too close, and find out something he never wanted people to know.
1. A Frozen Hellhole and Strange Teachers

_**December 10th, 2018 - Monday**_

I'm not sure sure why we moved up here to this cold ass hellhole, only to freeze our asses off while my dad drinks away the welfare checks. I brush a hand through my messy hair as my alarm begins to blare out, rolling off my thin mattress and onto the floor. I stumble to my bathroom and gently run a finger over the rapidly darkening bruise on my jaw.

I swear quietly before grabbing the concealer, making sure to cover this one up and then the faded one over my left eye. The concealer doesn't help my split lip but with a clear layer of gloss then it's a little less noticeable. I brush my hair into acceptableness, at least for the public anyway, and then deem myself ready for public.

Next I get dressed in what I hope is a pair of clean skinny jeans and a long thin t-shirt, hoping my sperm donor goes out tonight so I can actually wash my clothes. I grab my messenger bag and hoodie from where I dropped them Friday and head out the door, tiptoeing past the beer bottles and my snoring father to start the walk to school.

It's freezing, as it has been for the past three days that I've been here, and the my entire body is numb by the time I reach Denali High School. I look around for the office, wondering why the fuck it isn't at the entrance but whatever, until I hear footsteps coming my way. I immediately tilt my head down to avoid eye contact out of habit, hoping whoever it is will just walk past me but luck has never been on my side.

"Hey, you look lost. Can I help you find something?" I lift my head but keep my eyes down, not too trusting despite the voice being distinctly feminine.

"I, uh, need to find the office." I murmur softly, fiddling with the bottom of my hoodie as I wait for her to answer.

"Oh, that's where I'm heading right now so you can follow me." I nod my understanding and follow the woman as told, immediately giving her some points for wearing high top Converse. Turns out it is all the way down the hall, like why the fuck is it not at the entrance?

The woman splits away from me with a soft goodbye leaving me to talk with the secretary about my shit. She gives me the welcome packet and then some vague directions to my homeroom before dismissing me, the old woman glaring at me as I go. I get lost trying to find my locker despite the school being small as fuck and only two floors so I just give up and head to my first period, music.

I knock on the door as I am late, mentally swearing when I see it is a man. Yeah he is a bronze haired god, but looks do not equal kindness in the world. I hand him the note that basically says I am new and do not know where the fuck I am going, the young looking teacher just smiling a bit.

"Welcome to Denali High School, do you play any instruments?" Mr. Masen inquires in a soft tone as he checks the note, pointing to a chair in the back of the room.

"No sir," I reply simply, walking past the other students who apparently can't comprehend a new student moving to their school in the last week of the first semester. ' _Not my fault I moved to this fuckin' place.'_ I gingerly lower myself into the seat, my ribs hurting from the fact that my dumbass slept in my Ace bandages. Mr. Masen lets us all know that this week will be pretty chill since people are testing, the bronze-haired god letting whoever wants to play the instruments scattered around the room.

I want to sit down at the beautiful grand piano but change my mind as I don't want to draw any attention to myself, not on my first day anyway. I pull out my sketchbook so I can focus on something other than the loudness of the room and all the people. ' _Or Mr. Masen as he is one handsome motherfucker.'_

I work on the only drawing I actually have, it's just kind of busy with the words 'Be Awesome Today' in the center. My other one that was filled was left back in New York with my friend as I didn't trust my mother to not burn it out of spite. I work on filling in the details and such, barely noticing the bell ringing and all the other students scrambling out of the classroom.

My stomach rumbles quietly as I make my way to English, a few choice words almost slipping through my lips when I see _another_ hot ass teacher. I hand him the same slip as Mr. Masen, ignoring the gorgeous grin he's sporting as he signs it. I'm in the front row this time since there's no seats left in the back, a few students choosing to watch me instead of actually listening.

I brush a hand through my hair, eyeing the green strands with a small smile. This is my rebellion. The one thing I can do to keep my sperm donor from controlling all of me, my entire life. All I have to do is re-apply the dye every few months, since I'm not permitted showers all that often, and I'm good.

I finish the rough draft of the drawing by the time class ends, my hand cramping up from being in the same damn position for too long. I shove my sketchbook back into my bag before slipping out into the crowded hallway, easily blending in with the rest of the students on my way to Art.

When I step into the large room I notice that it isn't like the other classrooms. The walls are a black background with rainbow paint splatters, hella gay in my opinion. I take a seat in the very back since the teacher isn't here, pulling my sketchbook back out and a black Sharpie. As I'm outlining everything I hear the door shut and then a deep voice, a chill running down my spine as I realize my misfortune.

"So you guys know the drill, work on whatever you want just make sure your weekly submission is on my desk by Friday. Don't forget that this week's theme is animals." I glance up when the man stops, my heart skipping a beat when I see that it is yet another fine as hell teacher, a large one at that. His eyes meet mine and I quickly snap my head down, closing my sketchbook as I hear footsteps approach.

"You're the new girl, right? Alyson?" He questions curiously, fear coursing through me as I think of all the pain he could inflict upon me.

"I prefer Harper," I mutter in reply, effectively hiding my face from his gaze with my hair.

"Got it, can I have the slip?" I hand said piece of paper to the large man and listen to his receding footsteps before lifting my head again. I rub my thumb across the tattoo on my wrist as I wonder where I've seen those eyes before, and I don't mean Mr. Masen. ' _I know someone who has gold eyes, now who the fuck is it?'_

"Here you go, Harper." I jump when a thick sketchbook is slapped down on my desk, Mr. McCarty looking a bit surprised at my reaction. "Sorry," He adds on, smiling down at me sheepishly as I try to subtly scoot away from him. Thankfully he steps away to help another student so I grab the sketchbook and flip to the first page, glad that it has rings instead of binding. ' _It's a pain in the ass to keep that shit down.'_

I write my name beside where it says _name_ before beginning this week's assignment, tapping my pencil against my lip as think about what I'm drawing. Once I figure it out I get to work, getting the whole outline done before class ends. I head to the cafeteria for lunch and outside to one of the tables, staring at the food as I pass, a wave of hunger crashing into me as I haven't eaten in almost three days.

I take my mind off my need for food by focusing on my "Be Awesome Today" drawing, the scratch of my pen on paper oddly soothing. As I trace the lines of my pencil I think back to my friends in New York, wondering how they're all doing. I bet my sketchbook that Alex and Tris are in trouble again, probably caught sneaking out to see the other. The others most likely doing subtler things, things that can't be traced back to them like tagging. ' _They better be protecting my art.'_

I barely register the bell ringing, the sound of feet thundering on the tile snapping me from my thoughts. I rush to Calculus and barely make it as the door's shutting, the teacher raising a brow at me as I step inside. I hand her my slip without a word and mentally urge her to hurry up as the other students begin to stare at me. She hands it back and points to a chair in _the middle of the fucking room_ despite there being one at the back.

I plop down into my chair with a wince, pain flaring through my chest as I jar my already fucked up ribs. I take a few deep breaths before focusing on the teacher again, Mrs. Whitley or something, though look away when I realize she's staring straight at me. I note the same gold eyes that the others have had minus Mr. Black, the answer to where I've seen them before in the back of my head.

Turns out her name is Mrs. Whitlock, not Whitely. My bad. She starts a review on something I couldn't care less about so I pull out my sketchbook to finish my drawing. I manage to finish it so I start a new one, my favorite superhero of all time. I brush my hair from my eyes as I draw, the pesky strands dropping into my eyes every time. ' _I could probably where this shit up if I tried.'_

"Alright class, grab a worksheet on your way out and have it back by tomorrow." I glance up from my drawing to see the students filing out, Mrs. Whitlock eyeing me as I gather up my stuff. I grab said worksheet as I shuffle out of the classroom, Physics thankfully right next door.

Another gorgeous, golden-eyed creature. Fuck me and my luck. I think the school is breeding the flawless specimens in the basement because they're _too_ perfect. Thankfully she doesn't say anything as I hand over my slip, the blond woman more like a statue with the stony look she's got going on.

Physics has always been easy for me, it's just theory in high school and as long as I understand this shit I'm golden. ' _Just like their eyes, heh. I'm hilarious.'_ I listen absently to Mrs. McCarty's lesson, more interested in twirling a strand of my hair than her. Thankfully you can't really give homework for Physics because it's always the same shit, so we'd literally be doing the same thing every time.

This lesson ends early and she leaves us to do our thing, so I doodle on the inside of my notebook as there's no point in pulling out sketchbook with only five minutes left. I'm th first out the door, already up the stairs by the time the hallways get crowded. I step into my History class to see a lean man standing against the desk, an impassive look on his face as I repeat the slip process.

I take a seat in the back, away from his desk thank you, as he migrates to the front of the room. The last student walks in and Mr. Whitlock begins writing on the board, instructions apparently. ' _He's one of those teachers, I guess.'_

I grab a textbook from the back like the rest of the students and get to work reading, most of the answers hard to find in this small ass text. I'm signing my name at the top when class ends, a triumphant sigh escaping my lips as I hand it to the handsome teacher. ' _Goddamnit, gold eyes.'_

I stop by my locker to shove my bag inside half-heartedly, more focused on where the hell I've seen gold eyes before. I start the cold trek back to the other hellhole, hands stuffed into the pockets of my jeans to give me some sort of protection against the cold as my shirt is doing much. When I get to the bland house I see my fathers truck is gone, a glimmer of hope flitting through my mind as I think about him getting a DUI.

Since the man isn't home I wash my clothes in the bathroom sink and then stick them in the dryer, unsure of how much time I have before he's back from the bar. I start on my chores while my stuff is drying, grumbling about how strong the cleaner is, already feeling lightheaded. I get done around five-ish and take my clothes back to my room, throwing them back in the closet floor as I don't have anything to put them up with.

I slip into the bathroom to peel off the bandages around my chest, breathing out a relieved sigh at the fact I _can_ breathe now. I wrap them around my shoulders for now as I check over my current battle wounds, making sure nothing's too bad. The bruise on my jaw is now a deep purple, the one on my hip a sickly yellow color, and the fingerprints on my left shoulder almost gone.

I study the pink scar on my collarbone in the mirror with a grimace, remembering how _happy_ my dad was to see me. I feel pain twinge through my body as I reminisce pulling the shard of glass out, the memory still fresh in my mind. I leave the bathroom before I fall down the pit of self-loathing, not wanting to put myself through that tonight. ' _I'll pencil it in for tomorrow, though.'_

I hear the familiar rumble of my dad's old truck and scramble to my room, kneeling by my door as I was taught the first day. I listen to his thunderous footsteps as he drunkenly stumbles up the stairs, fear flowing through me like a river. My door smashes open and then he's standing over me, a hand coming down to grip my hair tightly as he forces me to look at him.

"No good whore," He slurs, eyes bloodshot and sunken, "Jus' like your mother." He shoves me roughly to the floor and gives me one good kick before stalking off, hopefully leaving me alone for the night. No such luck though.

Some time late he's back and angry at something, probably me. He grabs me roughly by the arm causing me to squeak, something I regret as soon as it happens. Rule number one, don't make a sound. His fist slams into my face out of nowhere, my head whipping to one side as I begin to see stars. ' _Even drunk as hell he's stronger than I am.'_

"Can't do anything right, can't even clean like a woman." He drops me to the ground and kicks me in rapid succession, my stomach and chest beginning to ache like a bitch. I think about curling myself into a ball but I know the prick would just see it as me defending myself. He finally gets tired and leaves me on the ground, the fat bastard already out of breath.

I lay on the cold ground for a few seconds to catch my breath, my breath coming out almost like a wheeze. Since the pain isn't getting better I crawl, struggling to even get to my mattress. If it's hard to crawl god knows walking to school is going to fucking suck.

 _ **December 11th, 2018 - Tuesday**_

When I wake up everything fucking hurts. I stumble down the hallway to the bathroom tiredly, practically slamming into the door. I wince as I turn on the lighs, gasping when I see my reflection. The bruise on my jaw along with the one on my cheek has me looking like Barney out this bitch, the purple clashing against my pale skin. I pull my shirt up a bit to see that my stomach is a myriad of purple and blue, almost my whole stomach.

I gingerly pull off my shirt to see that I now have matching fingerprints on both of my shoulders, though the left one is just a pale yellow. I roll my shoulders experimentally and immediately yelp, a sharp pain in my left shoulder having me almost in tears. Taking a deep breath, I slowly begin to slowly wrap my chest with the bandages.

Once I'm done I head back to my room silently and over to my closet, digging through the pile of clothes with a groan. I slip on a pair of jeans and then a belt, deciding on a flannel since I can't even lift my arms. I tug my combat boots on with a deep sigh, my ribs screaming in protest as I start walking to school.

It starts snowing around the halfway mark, snow sticking to my hair as I walk inside the school. Thankfully they keep this hellhole warm so I begin to thaw out on my way to my locker, my skin fading away from blue to off white. I set my combination before slinging my bag over my shoulder, biting my lip to keep from whimpering at the pain that races through my body,

"Hey Alyson," I spin around to see the woman who helped me yesterday approaching, a small smile on her face, a deep sense of dread filling me. ' _I hope the makeup is covering everything.'_

"I prefer Harper, ma'am." I reply simply, shifting a bit as she regards me quietly.

"Would you like me to send an email to all your teachers, you know, inform them of your preference?" She asks softly, not even asking about why I prefer Harper as opposed to my birth name.

"If it's no trouble, ma'am." I mutter, brushing a hand through my bright hair awkwardly.

"Of course not, Harper, I'll send it out once I get back to my office. I was actually wondering if you could come by my office during your lunch period?" She inquires curiously, moving away from my name with ease.

"Um, sure, where's your office?" I agree hesitantly, stuffing my hands into my pockets to keep from messing with my tattoo.

"It's in the office, just let Ms. Turner know you have an appointment with me. Have a good day, Harper." I watch her go with a soft sigh, her eyes so goddamn familiar it's annoying the fuck out of me. I head to first period where Mr. Masen is sitting at the piano, his slender fingers moving swiftly over the keys in a way that reminds me of Liz.

"Hello Ms. Reynolds," He calls out softly, not even looking up from the piano as I sit down. ' _Adding to the mystery, how did he know I was here?'_ I keep silent as I sit down in my seat, unsure of what to say so I just listen to him play something I haven't heard before, though it is absolutely beautiful.

My fellow Seniors join me soon enough, the 15 or so students in small groups and talking animatedly to one another. I lean back in my chair as Mr. Masen stops playing and moves to the front of the room, an easy-going smile on his face.

"Alright guys, a change of plans on a chill week." He starts, ignoring the way most of the class groans. "You'll work in pairs to play a song of your choice using any instrument in this room, any song. Singing does count as an instrument of sorts so if only one of you can play then you're okay, so go ahead and pair up." As soon as he says that every student is scrambling to their friend, everyone having a partner except me, the odd boy out.

"Do you mind being on your own, Harper?" I glance to my left to see Mr. Masen standing a good distance back though it's not far enough for me.

"No sir, I don't mind." The grin he gives me in turn is beautiful, so goddamn bright he could light up a whole room.

"Great, let me know what song you wish to play by the end of class." He replies smoothly, smiling once more before leaving me to find a song, my mind running through a million different ones. By the time class ends I've figured out what I want to do, something I've already played before and mastered.

I slip into the crowd and down to my English class, quickly taking my seat and pulling out my sketchbook. I work on Batman while Mr. Black talks about an upcoming essay that's due, the one about what we're going to do once we graduate. ' _At this point I'm taking it day by day.'_

I work on my essay for the remainder of class, scrapping the damn thing twice before getting an intro I like. Thankfully art is next and I've already finished my weekly assignment so I'm free to chill out for class. I take my seat in the back per usual and pull out my sketchbook, getting to work on finishing my current work. I snag a few outlining pens from the closet since I hate using Sharpies, letting myself get lost in the art.

By the time lunch rolls around I'm done with Batman and signing my initials at the bottom, my ribs still screaming as I pack up my bag. I head to the office like the counselor said, noting the plaque on the door that says 'Mrs. Masen'. I knock on the door hesitantly and jump back when I come face to face with said counselor.

"That was fast, Harper." She comments happily, her observation making me swear under my breath. ' _Of course it was, most high schoolers eat lunch.'_

"I don't eat lunch, I'm usually not hungry." I say with faux nonchalance, every part of me screaming at the counselor to move on.

"Alright then, how are you liking Denali?" ' _I hate this hellhole more than I hate my mother.'_

"It's cold," I deadpan, brushing my hair back with a small wince, my muscles still sore from last night.

"That it is," Mrs. Masen laughs, her gold eyes practically sparkling under the flourescent lights. "I wasn't fond of the cold at first but it has grown on me. Where did you live before moving here?"

"All over, but New York was the most recent." I state simply, not too interested in having the woman in my business, no matter how hot she is.

"I've never been to New York, I've heard it is nice though." She replies with a sort of far off look, probably envisioning the nicer parts of New York. "My husband has been there but he says he prefers places with less sun."

"The only nice part about New York is the shopping, only if you have the money. Other than that it's just drugs, violence, and gang wars." I comment drily, crossing my arms over my chest slowly. "It's either too damn hot or cold, sorry." I add on as an afterthought, realizing what I said. ' _Last thing I need is her calling my warden, for swearing nonetheless.'_

"I can understand that, and don't worry about the swearing." She waves off, her eyes on me as try to shift around, though the pain in my ribs is prohibiting any type of comfortability. "Mr. McCarty has a mouth like a sailor so I've definitely heard worse, Harper." I raise a brow at that little tidbit of information, though I already knew they were related in some way this just cements the theory.

"Cousins?" I question softly, letting some of the usual walls down in the pursuit of knowledge.

"Sort of, Carlisle and Esme took my husband in after his parents passed away. So we're all kind of related in a way." She explains slowly, probably trying not to reveal too much since she doesn't know me all that way. ' _Though I know someone like just them. It's right there.'_

"That's interesting, I only have my mother and father." I reveal hesitantly, hoping she'll open up in return.

"I understand, I only have my parents too, though now I have all of Edward's family to call my own." ' _Interesting indeed.'_ "Anyway, I asked you hear to see how your classes were going. I heard you had all of my siblings so that ought to be interesting."

"They're going well, I don't struggle in school." I admit softly, brushing my damn hair back yet again. ' _I need to cut this shit somehow.'_

"That's good, especially for your Senior year. What's your favorite class?" She inquires gently, part of me wanting to tell the hot counselor to fuck off, but I know I shouldn't.

"I like art," I mutter tiredly, not wanting her to think I actually plan to stick around this place. ' _First chance I get I'm leaving.'_

"Yeah, Emmett has always liked painting which was surprising to me when we first met. He's so huge you'd expect him to be a football player but he hates competitive sports, so he paints." Mrs. Masen says with a fond grin. ' _I honestly don't care about your life story.'_ I nod my understanding as I lean back, subtly adjusting my bandages when they get a _bit_ too tight. I rub my eyes tiredly, snapping my neck up when I hear Mrs. Masen gasp softly.

"What happened to your eye, Harper?" She exclaims, her own eyes wide as I peer into the mirror behind her. ' _Goddamnit, I rubbed my make up off.'_

"Fight when I left New York," I lie smoothly, grabbing the concealer from my bag with every swear word I can mutter. I reapply the shit to my eye as well as I can in a rush, practically running out of her office in my panic. ' _This can only end badly.'_

 **~_~.~_~**

By the time school ends I am 100% certain that Mrs. Masen said something to her _siblings_ about me since they keep staring at me so damn much. I walk outside and notice that it had started to snow heavier at some point, the ground covered in snow and hard as fuck to get through. With a deep sigh I start the walk to the prison, glad that it's sort of a backroad and that no one ever comes this way. ' _Someone would probably run me over by accident, not that it's a problem.'_

Sadly today is not my day, just as no day is my day, and I hear a car slowly approaching me from behind. Seeing as I can't run I settle for stepping to the side and shoving my hands into my pockets, hoping whoever it is doesn't think I'm threatening. ' _Granted, what boy with green ass hair is threatening?'_

"Harper?" I glance to the side as Mrs. Masen and her husband pull up in a nice ass car, nice by my standards at least. "Why are you walking in the snow?"

"My dad's working so I walk home." I lie, hopeful that she'll accept my answer and leave me the hell alone.

"Without even a jacket? Would you like a ride home?" Mr. Masen questions with a curious glint in his eyes, probably already thinking the wrong thing.

"No sir, but thank you, I don't want to get snow in your car." I state in lieu of a real explaination, knowing that if my father saw a teacher drop me off I'd have hell to pay later.

"We insist, Harper, get in." Mrs. Masen states, motioning for me to get in the back and leaving me no way to escape without causing a problem. So for once I do as I'm told, climbing in the back of their nice, _warm_ car with a soft sigh. ' _I am going to get my ass kicked tonight.'_

"Thank you, for the ride." I mumble awkwardly before giving them my address, brushing the snowflakes from my hair with a slight smile. ' _I've always loved the snow despite hating the cold.'_

"It's not a problem, Harper. We'd do the same for any of our students," Mr. Masen states, said statement making me feel a bit better even as he pulls up to my house. I thank the couple once more before escaping back to my prison, part of me glad to be here rather than with them and their soft smiles.

"Was that Mr. and Mrs. Masen?" I spin around so fast to find my dad leaning against the wall with a raised brow, the scent of booze replaced by the Axe he uses.

"Um, yes sir, they gave me a ride home." I answer cautiously, holding my hands behind my back with my head bent down the way he taught me.

"Nice people," He comments absently, his own green eyes boring into me as I wait for the inevitable. "Go make me a sandwich." As he strides past me I expect him to suddenly lash out at me the way he did when I was a kid, but nothing. I wait until he's in the living room before slipping into the kitchen, on edge while I make his sandwich as if he's going to come up behind me. ' _I wouldn't put it past the prick.'_

Once I'm done I take the asshat his sandwich before heading to the stairs, surprised to hear him say that I could take a shower. Not one to look a gifted horse in the mouth, I do just that. I take the quickest shower ever and then reapply my dye as it will start to fade soon, sticking the tubes back into my bag with a triumphant smile.

I silently walk to my room and shut the door, setting my bag down in my closet so he doesn't destroy it in a fit of rage. For the next few hours I sit in the bay window and watch the snow fall, knowing the walk tomorrow is going to suck ass. A sudden knock on my door has me jumping out of my skin, my father stepping in and tossing something at me before leaving.

Thanks to years of him throwing shit at me I catch it almost instantly, gaping when I see it's a red apple. I take a hesitant bite, just waiting to fall to the ground in agony but that never happens. I take another bite and moan at the sweet taste, the apple being the best thing I've tasted in days.

I take the last glorious bite of the delicious fruit and sigh deeply, my exhaustion from the past few days starting to overcome me as I stumble to the my mattress. As I close my eyes I realize why Mrs. Masen's eyes are so familiar, and exactly where I've seen them before.


	2. Golden Eyes and Familiar Scents

_**December 12th, 2018 - Wednesday**_

' _Vampires, it makes so much sense now.'_ The same thought goes through my head as I get dressed, as I check my bruises and such. I trudge down the steps with a gentle sigh, eyeing the granola bar on the table with caution. Seeing my name written on it I decide to take it, knowing that this might be the last time I eat in a while. As I walk out the door I catch the familiar scent of cinnamon at the end of the driveway, yet another piece of the puzzle.

Munching on the bar happily as I trudge through the snow, I wonder when he'll finally snap. Thankfully it's bright and clear outside as I walk to school, a light smile coming to my lips for the first time in awhile. Though as soon as I step through the door that all changes, especially as I'm shoved into the locker.

"Faggot," Some jock spits down at me as I push myself off the ground, part of me wondering how they found out I was bi but the other part knowing that it doesn't matter. I decide to just brush off the incident as a one time thing but when I see the picture taped to my locker I know it won't be. There, and on a few other lockers as well, in full color is me and one of my ex-boyfriend's and I kissing. A few even have the picture of Lexie and I making out on the beach, dread settling in the pit of my stomach as I tear them down.

I take down every picture by the time school starts, barely making it to first period on time. I take my seat with a soft sigh, ignoring the way half the class is staring at me like I'm a circus show and the other half just glaring at me in disgust.

"Is anyone ready to play?" Mr. Masen inquires curiously, gold eyes glancing around the room though he truly thinks no one is prepared. Except me. I slowly raise my hand, cringing internally when he calls me up to the piano with a slightly shocked tone. As I walk down the aisle I notice someone's foot sticking out so I subtly step over it and keep walking, that same trick used against me back in New York.

I sit down at the piano and marvel at the instrument as I crack my knuckles, taking a deep breath before playing my song choice. _Better of Dead by_ _Sleeping with Sirens._ I forget the pictures on the lockers, my abusive father, my shitty mother, and everything else as I play. I lose myself in the music, my fingers already familiar with the keys as I go through the notes. ' _I may not have played in a while but it's just like riding a bike.'_

When I play the last note I realize that the room has fallen silent and that Mr. Masen is watching me with a slightly shocked look that matched his tone from earlier. I awkwardly sit on the bench as I wait for someone to say something, even my douchey peers shocked into silence.

"Well done, Harper. Go ahead and take your seat, but I'd like to speak with you after class." Mr. Masen calls out, all eyes on me as I practically _sprint_ to my seat. I pull out my sketchbook to alleviate some of my anxiety, starting a new drawing while the class dissolves into whispers. Some about me, some not.

When the bell rings I've devolved into a raging pit of anxiety, worrying about whatever the hell Mr. Masen wants to talk about. I tap my foot nervously as I stand beside my chair, thumb rubbing at my tattoo like usual. The hot music teacher smiles at me as he leans against his desk, hands stuffed into his pockets like a disheveled teenager. ' _Or me I guess.'_

"You said you didn't play any instruments, Harper." He states softly, his eyes boring into me as I study a particularly interesting piece of tile.

"I never said I _couldn't_ play, just that I don't." I counter softly, flinching slightly when I realize how rude I sounded, but Mr. Masen just laughs it off.

"Touche, Harper, touche. On that note, how would you like to do an independent study with me?" My entire body freezes at his question, a cold chill running down my spine as I take in what he just offered me.

"S-sorry sir, but I need to be home immediately after school. My dad doesn't want me walking home in the dark," I explain quietly, brushing my hair back with a quiet sigh, part of me kind of wanting to do the study thing.

"I was thinking during lunch, you'd bring your food here and we'd play." He laughs happily, the sound just as perfect as the rest of him seems to be.

"Um, okay, sir. I'll be here after third period," I murmur in a rush, leaving the room before he can rope me into something else. I head to English and knock on the door, Mr. Black letting me in without a word though he's still smiling. As I take my seat and pull out my essay he finishes what he was talking about, the essay. We're supposed to be done with the intro done today and the first body paragraph by the end of class tomorrow.

I hand in my paper so he grade my intro, taking the criticism in stride and tweaking said intro. There wasn't much to change so I get started on the body paragraph, deciding to go with honesty rather than some bullshit job I'd never do. ' _I honestly have no idea what I'm doing after highschool, I'll be lucky to get out of this hellhole.'_

I glance up as the bell rings, watching my _peers_ leave with a tired sigh. After this morning's incident I know I'm in for way worse, more than just being shoved into lockers. I gather my shit and head upstairs, two girls shoved me into the railing with an annoying giggle, said action pressing against the numerous bruises on my ribs. I keep trudging up the steps and to the art classroom, wincing a bit as I sit down at my lone table. ' _I never noticed how few people are in Senior art.'_

I pull out my personal sketchbook to work on my current drawing, well, starting the current drawing. I get done with the outline of the thing when I hear Mr. McCarty calling my name. I leave my stuff behind and join the large teacher in the hall, biting the inside of my cheek nervously. All eyes are on me as I step through the doorway, Mr. McCarty shutting the door to block the other students from hearing whatever he wants to talk about.

"My siblings and I saw a picture this morning, but I've been informed it wasn't the only one. Are you okay, Harper?" The gentle giant inquires curiously, gold eyes peering down at me as I shuffle awkwardly.

"I'm fine sir, this is nothing to compared to my other schools. I don't care who knows I'm a bisexual person, it isn't something I've been ashamed of in a long time." I reply slowly, running a hand through my hair, biting back a groan at the pain that flares through my left shoulder. ' _Motherfucker this shit hurts. Even with my wolfie healing it's still too damn slow.'_

"It's still unacceptable, Harper. This constitutes as bullying," I resist the urge to roll my eyes as I know what it is, though giving it a name doesn't make it stop happening.

"Sir, with all due respect, I don't care about it and neither should you. It's harmless teenagers doing their best to fit in, and that means picking on the outcast." I bite back, stepping back subtly so I'm a few inches farther back.

"Okay, Harper, but if it escalates come to me or one of your other teachers." I nod sharply and step back into class, avoiding my fellow students eyes with an inaudible sigh. ' _Bunch of fuck nuggets.'_ I draw for the rest of the period though my heart isn't really in it, or my head for that matter. Finally giving up, I shove the book back into my bag and wait for the bell to ring, eager to get the stupid independent study lesson over with.

I stride down to Mr. Masen's room with a dark expression, hoping to dissuade anyone from coming near me. Apparently it works as no one says or does anything to me before I get to the door, some guy calling me a fag. ' _Jokes on you, I already knew that.'_ I set my bag down on a random seat as I wait for Mr. Masen, deciding to plop down at the piano bench.

I grab one of the acoustic guitars from the stand and strum a few chords, humming along when I hear the door shut behind me. I quickly set the guitar back down and turn to face Mr. Masen, though it isn't just him. It's him and Mr. Whitlock. ' _Why the hell is he here?'_

"I guess you don't have to teach her guitar, Jasper." Mr. Masen comments absently, a gently smile on his lips as the both lean against his desk. "What else can you play?"

"Violin, drums, and cello." I recite quietly, mentally going through the rest but he doesn't need to know about those.

"Impressive, Harper." Mr. Whitlock states, his hand tapping against the table as I wait for them to say anything else. "Why do you play so many instruments?" I peer closely at the scars that litter every inch of exposed skin, glad that the humans can't see them because Mrs. Whitlock would probably be arrested for spousal abuse.

"Competitions mean money, variety means difference so bigger chance to win." I reply truthfully, not having a better excuse than the truth.

"Determination is a helluva motivator," I bite back a small smile at Mr. Whitlock's comment, knowing I shouldn't get too comfortable with the two of them. "I'll be off then, see you at home, Edward." Mr. Masen waves to his sibling-cousin thing as I don't know how clans work, the vegetarian turning to me with a smile.

"So I've only done two independent studies before and it usually started with choosing a goal. So, what do you want to be able to do by the time you graduate?" ' _Look people in the eye, talk to people, have freedom.'_

"Perfect my skills, I guess. I don't plan on music being my career, that's illogical." I reply softly, digging my nail into my bird tattoo with a soft sigh.

"Then that's what we'll do," He murmurs, tone gentle as if he's talking to a small child. "What do you want to work on first?"

"Piano." I answer instantly, my first instrument. Mr. Masen grins and comes closer to me, panic coursing through me so I scramble off the bench so I'm leaning against the wall, said teacher looking at me oddly. Thankfully he ignores it and sits down on the recently vacated bench, almost immediately descending into the song I heard him play earlier.

"I wrote this for my wife when we first met, though at the time she was just my girlfriend." He supplies, probably having noticed me trying to figure out what the hell he's playing. I just listen to him play, losing myself in the notes despite my better judgement to stay on edge and focused. ' _Lord knows a snake can strike at any moment.'_

"Have you ever written something of your own?" I shake my head seeing as I can't really do words for some reason, my throat constricting and my vision blurring a bit. "Then by the day you graduate I want you to have written your own music." I hear the bell ring and I swear I've never been more grateful for that obnoxious sound, practically running to the door in my hurry.

"Also Harper, my wife wants you to stop by her office after school." Mr. Masen calls out, smiling at me as I walk down the hall, narrowly dodging the jock who tries to push me as I step into Calculus. Mrs. Whitlock smiles at me as I hand her my homework, a knowing look in her eyes for some reason, as if she knows something about me.

"Okay class," She starts once the rest of them are here, a slight smirk on her lips, "Today we'll be having a pop quiz to make sure you've been paying attention." While the rest of the class groans I just take it in stride, glad that at least my fellow assholes will be quiet.

Mrs. Whitlock hands out the quizzes before taking her seat in the front of the room, eyes roaming over the room as we work. I breeze through the questions with ease as I've always been good with numbers, no matter what I'm doing. I hand in my quiz first before taking my seat and pulling out my sketchbook, resisting the urge to watch Mrs. Whitlock grade my paper. ' _I know I did well but I still like to know it.'_

I finish my tribal wolf drawing since I have plenty of time, signing my initials at the bottom right like always once I'm done. Thankfully class is over pretty quick and I can get the day over with, though Mrs. Whitlock has another idea. She calls me back as I get to the door, a questioning look in her eye as she peers at one of the tests. ' _I'm going to say mine.'_

"I just had a question about your test, that's all." She states, alleviating some of the fear I was feeling when she called my name.

"Did I fail?" I ask hesitantly, not sure what she wants to talk about other than a failing grade.

"Far from it, you have managed to excel at every quiz, worksheet, and test from every school you've ever been too." She explains simply, arms crossed over her chest as she perches on the edge of the desk. "I don't think you've paid attention once since you've been here so how have you been doing so well? Do you cheat?"

"I think it's funny that teachers automatically assume a student is cheating rather than believing that they know their stuff." I retort, running a hand through my hair with a soft sigh. "Look, I didn't mean to be rude ma'am. I just don't like people assuming the worst about me, especially when they don't know anything about me." Her eyes soften a bit once I'm done talking, almost as if she understands where I'm coming from. ' _God knows she doesn't though.'_

"My apologies, Ms. Reynolds. What's your secret then?"

"Eidetic and photographic memory, ma'am." I answer simply, hoping she doesn't want anymore information than that.

"That's amazing, I've never met someone that had both abilities." She exclaims, almost as if I'm some circus freak or sideshow attraction.

"A lot of people who have an eidetic memory tend to have a lesser version of a photographic memory, or vice-versa. Most don't know this but I found out when I was younger, a doctor did some test on me." I explain simply, trying to keep this chat short and to the point.

"Wow," She whispers, golden eyes wide as she regards me quietly. ' _Wow indeed, Mrs. Whitlock, wow indeed.'_

 **~_~.~_~**

Thankfully no other teachers want to talk to me so I the rest of my day goes smoothly, until I remember that Mrs. Masen wants to see me. So I trudge downstairs and to the office, about to knock on the door when she opens it first.

"Afternoon Harper, mind if we give you a ride home?" I raise a brow but follow her outside nonetheless, Mr. Masen already outside and leaning against the car. "He used to do the same when we were teenagers." She comments, a nostalgic smile on her face as she greets her husband. I stand awkwardly by the door as they share a quick kiss, both turning to smile at me after a second.

"Get in, Harper." I do as Mr. Masen says, brushing my hair from my eyes as they take me home. I listen to them talk as Mr. Masen drives, though I'm more interested in the gently falling snow than their conversation. The ride is shorter than I thought it would be but I'm grateful for that, Mrs. Masen keeps giving me these weird looks.

I thank them for the ride as I make my getaway, letting out the breath I didn't know I had been holding as soon as the door is shut behind me. ' _Honestly, if the eyes hadn't been enough then the sweet cinnamon smell should've given it away.'_ I stop in the hall to listen for my father's snoring or the sound of footsteps but when I hear neither I just head upstairs.

I set my bag down in the closet as I make my way to my window, tugging experimentally on the bars before sitting down. I pull off my shirt and unwrap my chest, breathing out deeply as I take in the winter wonderland that is my backyard. I think about making my escape since none of the doors are locked but my father knows I won't leave, I can't. ' _Where would I go?'_

About two hours later I hear the rumbling of his truck and then the front door slamming soon after, panic gripping me like a vice. I quickly scramble into kneeling position by the door, holding my breath as his footsteps get closer. He kicks my door open roughly, the scent of bourbon and cigarettes invading my nose as he glares down at me.

Without a word he begins unlooping his belt, the action sending me back to when I was a kid and my parents were still together. I manage to keep myself from moving even an inch through self preservation alone, and maybe a little bit of stupidity. If I was smart I would run, like any sane person.

I hear the belt before I feel it, just a faint whistling through the air before it hits me. The buckle hits my upper shoulder first, my thin shirt doing nothing to protect me. Then my cheek, the sharp metal slicing my skin open with ease. Blood drips down my face and marrs my pale skin, like red rivers trailing through snow.

He snaps the belt again and this time it hits my collarbone, the sudden burst of pain making me gasp for air. I can hear my wolf side howling each time the buckle hits me, my wolf telling me to fight back but I know I deserve this. Thankfully when he's drunk he gets tired quicker, though tonight he's especially mad and doesn't let up.

He throws the belt to the side and kicks me roughly, a cracking sound filling my ears and an unimaginable pain taking over my body. I let go after that, just let the pain drown out the rest of the world. I don't know how long he hits me, but after awhile everything begins to blur and then gradually fades out. When everything finally goes dark I can't help but be grateful, at least that's the end. Right?


	3. Old Friends and Freedom

_**December 19th, 2018 - Wednesday**_

When I open my eyes again I'm assaulted by bright lights, a groan escaping from between my lips before I remember what happened. I give myself a few seconds to adjust before opening my eyes again, surprised to find I'm in a hospital room and that I'm not alone. Mrs. Masen is up and by my side in seconds, a worried look on her face as I try to control my breathing with the intubation tube down my throat.

A nurse comes rushing in a moment later to remove the tube, the sudden ability to breathe on my own sending me into a coughing fit. A cup is pressed to my lips and I gulp down the entire contents, not even caring what it is just that it's _cold._ When the cup is empty and my throat hurts a bit less I turn to the counselor, ignoring her pity filled eyes.

"Where am I?" I question roughly, though it comes out more as a croak as I apparently haven't used my voice in years.

"Denali General, room 106." She states softly, dread filling my entire body as I realize that she _knows._

"Where's my father?" The words are barely out of my mouth when said man appears, looking as unkempt and dirty as ever. "Could you give us a minute, Mrs. Masen?" The vampire nods hesitantly, shooting my father a look before she strides out of the room, leaving us alone.

"You're coming home once Cullen clears you," He states gruffly, the arrogant prick standing way too close for comfort. "Shouldn't even be in this goddamn hospital."

"Why am I here, _father_?" I spit, sitting up a little straighter despite the intense pain it causes. "That's right, you put me here."

"Why, you ungrateful little-" I cut off the beginning of his tirade with a scoff, some of my old confidence returning seeing as we're in a crowded hospital.

"I am not going home as you put it, I'm going back to New York. I _let_ you hit me, I _let_ you degrade me, I _let_ you beat me until I became the shell of who I used to be!" I exclaim softly, glaring over at the man as I grip the rails of the bed tightly, anger beginning to bubble up within me for once. "I am _never_ going to let someone like you beat me down again. I will never be weak again, so get the fuck out and never come near me again. You're goddamn lucky I'm not pressing charges." I watch as his face slowly turns red then purple, my sperm donor absolutely livid that I'm finally standing up for myself.

"You're just an ungrateful whore like your mother, no wonder she didn't want you Aly-"

"No, my name is Harper. I am not your daughter, and I am nothing like my mother." I growl, my wolf doing the same inside my head as someone else steps into the room, my donor's mouth opening to say something else but a smooth voice interjects.

"I think that's enough Mr. Turner. They have asked you to leave and if you don't comply I'll be forced to call security, so kindly get the hell out and never return." The blond Adonis states with a forced smile, dark eyes following said man out the door before turning to me. As soon as our eyes meet my whole world shifts, my brain practically screaming ' _mate'_ at me.

"Sorry about that, I'm Dr. Cullen, it's nice to see you awake." My mate says softly, my eyes darting from his lips to his eyes as he speaks. ' _Cullen, huh? He's perfect, but a vampire. Fuck me and my luck.'_

"How long have I been out, sir?" I question slowly, not trusting myself to string together a simple sentence in his presence.

"A week, but you seem to be healing nicely." He answers easily, his eyes slowly fading into the familiar gold I've been seeing all week. "You had two broken ribs, four cracked ribs, numerous lacerations and bruises, as well as a dislocated left shoulder. We had to stitch up your cheek as it was deeper than expected but you should have minimal to no scarring." I lean my head back and bite my lip, going through each possible scenario in my head.

"Can I go back to New York?" Dr. Cullen smiles down at me, a true gift from above, but it's a sad smile.

"Even if you were fit to travel, you cannot. We called your mother but it seems she's incarcerated at this time, and for the next five years." He explains apologetically, his hazel eyes peering deeply into my own as he speaks. "As you only have five months until graduation there are two options. My family and I have offered to take you in until then, or you'll be moved to the closest foster home which happens to be in Portland." ' _Goddamn, I am stuck between a rock and a hard place. I am not good enough to infringe on their kindness.'_

"When do I need to decide by?" I ask hesitantly, running a hand through my hair with a quiet sigh.

"You'll be in here for another two days so by Friday morning, I'd say. Don't stress over it, Ms. Reynolds, it is not a pressing matter at this moment." Dr. Cullen replies, still smiling at me as I take in this information.

"I'll have my decision by then sir," I mutter absently, already arguing with my wolf side about what I should do. ' _Do I go with my vampire mate or relocate to a whole new state?'_

"Until then, Ms. Reynolds."

"Mr." I blurt out, blushing wildly when I realize what I'm sort of about to admit to.

"I'm sorry?" He questions, hazel eyes filled with confusion as I continue to do my impression of a tomato. ' _Fuck, I haven't blushed since the first time Liz and I fucked.'_

"It's Mr. Reynolds, I'm a boy." I admit hesitantly, taking a leap of faith.

"My apologies, _Mr._ Reynolds. I'll have that changed immediately," He leaves without another word, though his voice still echoes in my head as Mrs. Masen takes his place.

"I'm sorry about your father, if I had known he'd be that aggressive I would've kept him out." Mrs. Masen states gently, part of me surprised that she even cares.

"It's fine, but would you mind closing the door and blinds?" I ask quietly, trying to word what I want to say in a nicer manner than what I want.

"Feeling tired? Would you like me to leave?" ' _God stop being nice, it's making me uncomfortable.'_

"No, I want to know how I got here but before you answer I think there's something you should see." I say softly, cutting off her question with a wave of my hand, unsure if I can keep my snark in check at this point. I let a bit of my wolf side go, wincing as my canines begin to sharpen and my senses become heightened, though not as much if I was fully transformed.

"You're- you're a shifter!" She exclaims in a hushed whisper, eyes wide as I revert back to my human appearance. "But Jacob can't partially shift."

"That I am, and I assume you're talking about Mr. Black. Each breed has a different ability, the Quiletes are just the largest wolves. My breed is apparently more controlled I guess, though I'm unsure if I have some other gift." I state offhandedly, blowing a strand of my hair back in annoyance.

"So there are more packs?" She inquires curiously, a small smile coming to my lips at her childlike nature.

"Of course, one pack can't defend humans against all the vampires. You guys currently outnumber us as you multiply quicker, so of course there are multiple packs." I retort, surprised that she thinks the Quileutes are the only ones. ' _There's like four of them.'_

"So wait, does that mean you knew my family and I were vampires on your first day?"

"No, I'm a fucking idiot and didn't realize until Tuesday. I didn't recognize the cinnamon scent as anything other than ordinary but I knew the eyes were a clue. I've only seen one pair of eyes like yours." I admit sheepishly, glad that I seem to be gaining some of my original fire back.

"You've met other vampires like us?"

"Only one unfortunately, most of the ones I've _met_ have been of the human persuasion. Even though I'm technically a rogue I still have a duty to protect humans, no matter how much I despise most of them." I mutter the last bit to myself, though I know she heard it. "I do a little digging beforehand though, some vampires never drink directly from humans. I've met a few who only drink from blood bags, and that's better than killing humans by my standards." I bite back a yawn once the words leave my mouth, wanting to get my answers first.

"I'll ask my other questions at a later date, I think I should tell you what happened a week ago." She addresses, sighing deeply in a way that's weirdly reminiscent of her human ways. "Ever since your first day one of us has been dropping by your house each night to make sure you were okay, and until last Wednesday nothing seemed to be wrong."

"Why were you stopping by? And don't give me a bullshit excuse about it being your duty as a teacher." ' _God knows I've been given plenty of excuses in my life.'_

"A friend of Jasper's told us to look out for "a boy with green hair and a bird tattoo", after Alice saw the tattoo on your wrist she knew it was you. Sadly we didn't investigate too deep, maybe we could've prevented this…" She trails off sadly, the older woman's eyes filling with sadness and pity.

"Don't worry about it, I've been dealin' with this shit since I was young. I'd rather focus on how your friend new about me. No one, not even myself, knew I was going to be here." I comment, not realizing that what I said could be taken very wrong.

"His gift is just _knowing_ things that may seem unimportant at the time but you were different. Maybe a day after he called you showed up, the boy with green hair and a bird tattoo. I mean, at first we were unsure if it was you but when Jasper sent your school picture to him he said it was you." Mrs. Masen draws in an unneeded breath before continuing on, a stony look replacing the softness. "When Edward and I saw you walking home in the snow we knew something was wrong, we just didn't know what."

"Okay, I understand the leech's gift but what I don't get is why. Why am I so important to one of the largest covens in the world, the Volturi being the only coven even close to your size?" I roll my eyes at her surprise, though I shouldn't be shocked. ' _No vampire thinks much of a wolf.'_

"You've heard of us before?" ' _No, I just took a stab in the dark.'_

"Yes, at first I didn't make the connection and then the doctor introduced himself. Pretty much clicked after that, only a few Cullens in the world and none have golden eyes like y'alls." I inform softly, a smile coming to my face when I see said doctor peering into my room from down the hall. Resisting the urge to wave, I turn back to Mrs. Masen with a tired sigh. "Please continue."

"I can't exactly tell you why you're important, just know that you are. Back to the incident, the only reason we knew what happened is because Alice had a vision of you and I, sitting here." She admits, probably a little hesitant to tell a wolf any of this. "She can't see wolves, that means you, but she saw _me_ and my future that just so happened to involve you."

"You guys have a seer too?" I deadpan, running a hand through my hair in exasperation. ' _This is way more than I wanted to fucking know.'_

"Yes, it is a really long story for another time. Anyway, as soon as she got the vision she sent Rosalie and I to check on you since we have the best control outside of him and Esme. No one was home so we just came in and split up, but Rose found you in your room, almost dead from the numerous injuries." Mrs. Masen reveals hesitantly, the leech watching me closely as if I'll suddenly snap or something.

"So you brought me here," I finish absently, wondering if anyone had the foresight to grab my stuff. "So what now?"

"Well, during the next two days either myself or one of my siblings will be here to watch over you. After that, we'd like you to come stay with us but I'd understand if you chose to leave." She reassures, ever the kind and sweet counselor I met last week, not even remotely different even though I know their big secret. "I'm going to let you get some sleep, Harper. I'll be outside the door if you need me."

I nod my understanding and watch her go, thankful that she dims the lights on her way out. I take a deep breath despite the ache in my chest, finally closing my eyes and letting my mind slow down a bit.

 _ **December 20th, 2018 - Thursday**_

"Why do humans sleep so long Rosie? Is there something wrong with him?" I slowly open my eyes at the sound of that familiar deep voice, quickly finding Mr. McCarty sitting in the corner of my room. "Nevermind Rosie, he's awake now!" He quickly moves towards me but stops when I unconsciously flinch, a habit I need to break now.

"Hello Mr. McCarty," I greet gently, not wanting him to come closer but at the same time not wanting to be rude.

"Please call me Emmett, I _hate_ when people call me Mr. McCarty." The large vampire states simply, a large grin on his face just like in class. "I much prefer 'Cullen' anyway, Emmett Cullen just sounds nicer to me." I hum noncommitedly as I look around for a clock, brushing my hair back slowly.

"What time is it?" I watch him pull out what looks like a brand new iPhone, a hint of jealousy flickering within me as I know what amazing pictures that phone takes.

"1:03," He answers cheerfully, surprise filling me as I never sleep this late, not even when I'm sick.

"Fuck," I breath, "I haven't slept through the morning in about two years."

"Oh no, it's one am, not pm." Mr. - _Emmett_ corrects easily, the gentle giant smirking at me from his position by my bed. ' _Honestly, he should sit far away. He is freaking me out standing over me like that.'_ "Oh, I forgot!" I jump at his booming voice, glad that no one else could see me though. He grabs something from beside my bed before presenting it with a loud 'aha', the big ass vampire holding a black leather bag out to me expectantly.

"What do you want me to do with this?" I question drily, eyeing the bag as if it offended my lifestyle.

"Well, open it, Harper!" I resist the urge to roll my eyes and instead do as he said, opening the bag hesitantly. Inside is my sketchbook, a pack of drawing pencils, and then expensive looking colored pencils. "I figured you'd be bored in here so while your father was gone me and Jas went to get your stuff, though we didn't find any of your clothes."

"Thank you, Emmett…" I trail off awkwardly, unsure of what else to say. I flip through my sketchbook to make sure it's all there before pulling the side table over to me.

"No problem Harper, least we could do." I ignore that in favor of drawing, though the scent of Dr. Cullen has me looking up, the beautiful blond Adonis standing in the doorway.

"You're up Harper, having trouble sleeping?" He inquires softly, that vanilla/cologne scent enveloping me in a warm cocoon.

"I don't sleep a lot Doc, never have." I state smoothly, trying to the keep my voice from wavering. ' _He is too hot and I cannot handle this.'_

"And why's that?" I shrug half-heartedly, smirking up at the gorgeous vampire despite my hesitance to get close.

"I've never slept more than five hours since I shifted, sometimes even less." I explain quietly, brushing my hair back so I can ogle him more clearly.

"Well, breakfast is in about five hours, Mr. Reynolds." I smile as he steps back out of the room, sighing deeply when I realize how bad I've got it. ' _He is already wooing me with his unintentional charm.'_ I ignore Emmett's knowing smirk and instead focus on my drawing, deciding to express my pride seeing as how I couldn't before now.

While I draw I can feel Emmett watching me, his yellow eyes that are filled with a childlike glee that I never had. I end up finishing my pride flag quickly, the design not too complicated so I start on something else. The Joker, the Heath Ledger version, or the best version in my opinion. I remember when Danny and Liz showed me superhero movies one week, DC and then Marvel, and I've loved Batman ever since.

"I graded your assignment, it was really good." I glance up and over at Emmett with a raised brow, not understanding. "You know, the fish in the light bulb." ' _Oh the fuckin' art project.'_

"Yeah, how'd I do?" I ask quietly, glancing back down at my paper so I can keep drawing.

"Easy A, you're a natural artist Harper." Emmett states sincerely, a big dumb smile on his dumb face. "Where did you learn to draw?" I set the pencil down and turn to him, wracking up all the confidence I have so I can meet his eyes.

"I've always been drawn to art, sneaking into museums whenever I could." I admit with a small smile of my own, remembering the first time like it was yesterday. "A friend of mine gave me one of her old sketchbooks and told me to draw something, so I did. I drew her, though there wasn't much to draw."

"Why did you sneak into art museums?" He laughs, this big, booming sound that fills the room.

"I didn't have the money and my mother was usually dead to the world by ten, so I snuck in. Pretty easy if I slip in with a big crowd." I explain absently, brushing a hand through my hair, frowning when I see a few fading strands. "I'm assuming you guys didn't find my hair dye?" Emmett grabs the bag and pulls out two _new_ tubes of Manic Panic dye, the two I have to mix to get this color.

"Alice bought it after she saw the two empty ones on your floor, she assumed you'd want more." He explains sheepishly, though I'm still too surprised to tease him about it. ' _I don't do caring people, not at all.'_

"I am going to reapply my dye, don't break anything." I mutter, already halfway off the bed before he can tell me no. I sway a little bit but the IV attached to me keeps me upright, Emmett watching me closely. I can feel cool air on my back as I step into the small bathroom, a twinge of embarrassment bubbling up within me as I realize Emmett probably just got an eyeful of my boxer-clad ass.

I mix equal amounts of dye in my hand before working it into my thick ass hair, glad that this shit works pretty much instantly. Once I'm done my hands are stained green but at least my hair is how I want it, eye-catching. I retie the back of my hospital gown as tight as I can, I don't want to give anymore free strip shows. When I rejoin Emmett I see he's not alone, Mrs. McCarty sitting on his lap with a small smile I haven't seen before, though it falls as soon as she sees me.

"Later Harper, Rosie's takin' over for me since I need to hunt." Emmett informs me happily, the large vampire giving me one last smile before leaving the room. I climb back into the bed, my left arm of no use to me since it's in a fucking sling.

I go back to drawing since I have nothing else to do, doing my best to ignore the way Mrs. McCarty is watching me. I lean a bit to the left when I see my mate striding down the hallway, a pensive look on his face as he studies some charts. I smile to myself until he's out of view, jumping when Mrs. McCarty clears her throat.

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry we didn't get to you before." The blonde murmurs softly, her expression impassive but her eyes containing a story I don't know.

"Don't worry about it, it's not important." I mutter unsurely, not quite understanding what else I'm supposed to say to that.

"If we had done something or gotten there sooner…" I hear a personal story behind her words but it's none of my business, so I wave it off.

"No matter what you did, or didn't, do doesn't matter. It happened and it's finally over, I'm free." I retort, glad when the blonde goes back to her usual stony expression. ' _It's way better than her trying to care about me.'_

Thankfully she stops talking and instead just watches me, in a non-creepy fashion. I get bored of drawing eventually so I work on some music, well, the assignment Mr. Masen gave me. I wish I had a keyboard or even a phone to actually hear the notes but I settle for tapping my fingers, pretty much winging it. Maybe a half hour later I hear a familiar voice just outside my door, already getting my hopes up.

"Yeah, my name is Eliza Reynolds, Alyson's sister." ' _Oh my fuckin' god.'_ "Just ask her, she'll tell you." I lean a bit to the left to see an unfamiliar nurse slip out from behind the desk, a confused look on her face when she opens the door.

"Your sister is here sweetheart, do you want me to let her in?" At my nod the woman leaves so I turn to Mrs. McCarty, hoping she'll do as I asked.

"Do you mind giving us a moment?" I ask hesitantly, surprised when the woman steps out of the room, even more shocked to see her leave the building. Liz steps into my room a moment later with Daniel behind her, both of them sporting matching smirks. "How the hell did you guys find me?" Liz waves my question off as they both come to sit on either side of me, both pretty much pressed against me in this small bed.

"Our third knows a pretty good P.I. so we took a chance, and he led us here." Danny states simply, lips pulling into a mischievous grin, one that I am all too used to.

"Your third? You finally found them?" I question, glad that they have finally found their last piece, or what I hope is their last.

"Yeah, his name is Ryder Elliot, he's so cute." I roll my eyes at Liz, still surprised that a century old vampire would describe someone that way. "He'll be here soon, he wants to meet you since you're as close as he's going to get to our dad."

"That sounds so wrong, Liz, especially with our history." I comment, eyeing the girl warily. "Anyway, what are you doing here?"

"Bustin' you out, bro!" Danny exclaims in a whisper, his eyes wide as I take in the changes that happened in the past month. ' _She changed him.'_ His eyes are a mix between crimson and yellow, a very strange color indeed.

"And how do you plan to do that, drop me out the window?" I inquire drily, hoping they have a real plan. "By tomorrow I'll either be in the nearest foster home or with the Cullens, the really hot vampires."

"You mean, the other vegans?" Liz asks with a raised brow, eyes darting to the window and out into the hall.

"Yeah, and get this, one of them is my Imprint. How fucked is that?" I laugh hollowly, unsure of why I'm laughing when I really want to scream. "My point is, if I stay with the vegans I'll want to be with Cullen, but if don't go with them then I end up in some fucked up foster home." I run a hand through my hair as I go through every scenario, the last being that I live happily ever after with my mate, the most unlikely.

"Okay so how the hell do we get you out of here?" I go to help formulate a plan when someone knocks on the door, my eyes darting up to meet Dr. Cullen's confused ones.

"How are you feeling, Harper? Any pain?" He inquires softly, his hazel eyes studying each of my friends carefully before turning to me.

"No Doc, I'm all good." I reply, smirking up at the older man, a thought forming in my head.

"Alright then, call me if you need anything." Dr. Cullen states, a small smile hinting at his lips as he leaves once again. I turn to Liz with a smirk of my own, finally ready to get out of this fucking place.

 **~_~.~_~**

"Okay, Bronze Age will be here in ten and Blond Adonis has left the building, hurry up Harper." I nod to Danny and slip into the bathroom, quickly changing out of the hospital gown and into some normal clothes. ' _Ah it feels good to be in skinny jeans and a t-shirt again.'_

Since the light is turned down all the way I just wait by the door until a large enough group passes by, slipping into the crowd with ease. I tug my beanie down a bit further to hide my very identifiable hair, completely forgetting how to breathe until I'm out the door. ' _Thank god for small ass towns with no security.'_

I jog over to the only SUV in the parking lot, climbing into the back with a large grin. Liz, who's in the front next to one hot dude, smirks back at me as we drive off before tossing back a small bag. Inside is a piercing gun, extra strength soap, and contacts.

"It's time we disappear, Harper."


	4. Apologies and Promises

_**Hello guys, hope you're enjoying Sunrise, I know I'm enjoying writing it. I just wanted to add a link to my Pinterest. There's a board strictly for this story but you can also contact me there as it's quicker than on here. Enjoy this chapter! Just add before writerboy2003/ since this shit is being difficult.**_

writerboy2003/

* * *

 _ **December 1st, 2023 - Friday**_

"Why do I even need to come back to _sell_ the house?" I whine as Liz hands me my Hot Pocket, eyeing the snow outside the car distastefully.

"Because, it's time to come back anyways. You selling the house is just an added bonus, Harper." Ryder retorts, red eyes glimmering in the light as we pull into the driveway of our rental home, my pout growing in size.

"But maybe I'm not ready to come back, maybe I just want to keep travellin' for the rest of my shitty life!" I exclaim loudly, brushing the black strands out of my eyes every few seconds since I haven't gotten my hair cut in awhile.

"You have to face your mate eventually, we only took you away so you could get better for him. It's time you get your happy ending, you big bag of dicks." Liz states, yellow eyes peering at me in the mirror as I begin to pout once more. Anni grabs my hand in a tight grip before getting out of the car, an unreadable expression on her usually cheerful face.

"Man, you guys know she hates when we mention my mate." I mutter, eyeing my girlfriend warily as I know how dangerous she is when pissed off.

"She knows you have one, that you guys aren't forever." I ignore Ryder as I slide out of the car, jogging inside to find Anni. I step into our room and wrap my arms around her waist, pressing a light kiss to the side of her neck.

"You know I love you Anni, don't listen to them." I murmur into her ear, spinning her around to kiss her gently on the lips.

"Harper, we knew when we started that we weren't forever. Maybe it's time I start looking for my mate," She mumbles, her stunning red eyes peering into my own with utter conviction.

"If that's what you want, I won't stop you beautiful, but give me a few days. I'll convince the Golden Trio that I'm not ready, and then we'll leave and we can be happy." I plead softly, holding Anni closer so she can understand that I want her, not some mate that doesn't need me. ' _I didn't fall in love with him, I fell for her.'_

"Okay, you have five days and then I'm gone." Annika acquiesced, a small smile hinting at the her lips as she steps back. "Go get the food, we need to eat, handsome." I salute and with one last kiss I head back downstairs, snagging the keys from Daniel's open hand.

The ride to the small ass supermarket is quick, my eyes drawn to the highschool as I pass. I head inside and start gathering stuff we can microwave, since neither Anni or I can cook anything past making toast. As I'm grabbing more Hot Pockets I smell something absolutely delectable, vanilla and chocolate chip cookies, a familiar cologne just beneath the surface. ' _Oh my god, that smells so good.'_ Against my better wishes I follow the scent to another aisle, glancing around curiously when I bump into someone.

"My apologies, ma'am. I should've been paying more attention," I murmur, my entire body freezing when I meet a pair of beautiful amber eyes. ' _Imprint.'_

"It's fine, I was pretty distracted too." She replies, teeth digging into her lower lip as she regards me. "I'm Esme Cullen, it's nice to meet you." ' _Fucking hell, another goddamn Cullen, as my Imprint?'_

"Oh, uh, Harper Reynolds." I greet, not realizing that I used my real name until her eyes begin to widen.

"I can't believe you came back…" I run a hand through my hair nervously, not sure where this is going.

"I'll only be here for a few days, please, I'm not good for your family." I mutter tiredly, glancing around the store in case any other Vegan leeches are around.

"But your our mate, the one we've been looking for!" She whispers, a hopeful look in her eyes as if I'm suddenly going to change my mind. ' _I wasn't good for him back then and I won't be good for_ _ **them**_ _now.'_

"I'll be gone soon and you two, since you smell like you're mated, will be just fine without me. I have to go, just try and forget me, okay?" I leave before she can reply, that familiar pit of anxiety filling me. ' _I knew I shouldn't have come back to this hellhole.'_ I quickly pay for the food and slap down a hundred, not waiting for change before I'm out the door.

I set the bags down in the passenger seat before leaning my head on the steering wheel, wanting to scream. ' _Of course I'm one of those unlucky bastards with two mates.'_ I take a deep breath before heading back to the house, ignoring the way Ryder and Liz stare at me. I set the shit down on the counter before just snapping, punching clean through a cabinet.

"Ay man, I gotta pay for that!" Ryder exclaims, a growl ripping its way from my throat before I can stop it.

"I'll reimburse you," I snarl angrily, storming out the back door and into the forest. I shift as I move, more in tune with my wolf side than my leech side nowadays. Even as a human I felt more wolf-like, not comfortable. ' _Seems fitting that I don't feel comfortable like this either.'_ I keep sprinting, losing myself in the thud of my paws against the ground, letting the rational side of me go.

Eventually I stop to see where I'm at, though it all looks the same to me so I head back towards the house, the sun beginning to set. I hear sudden rustling to my right and then I'm being tackled to the ground, my instincts taking over despite hearing more people approaching. I figure out who's pinning me to the ground by the big ass arms, it has to be Emmett Cullen. I quit growling and let myself lay limp, hoping he gets the hint.

"Go ahead and shift back, Harper." Emmett mutters, letting me go but not stepping away or giving me room to escape. I feel my muscles relax and my bones start to reform as I shift back to my normal form, well, my least weird form. I smirk at each Cullen in turn as they stare at me, though I can't blamethem as I'm only in a my volleyball shorts. ' _They weren't made for modesty.'_

"How can I help you?" I ask quietly, running a hand through my hair as they just continue to study me, like I'm a sideshow attraction. All my scars, piercings, and tattoos are on display as I begin to fidget awkwardly. "Aight, what the hell do y'all want? I need to get back before my friends begin to worry."

"Where have you been?" The Doc questions softly, eyes locked on mine as I cross my arms over my chest self-consciously. ' _After four years I'm still not a 100% about the faded scars.'_

"Here, there, it's not important. I left for a reason, and I had a damn good one. In a few days I'll be gone and I won't come back here." I state simply, not in the mood to argue with them, not now at least.

"Alice, Edward, Emmett. Go back and tell the others we're okay, and do not come back this way." Carlisle commands, not giving the other leeches time to argue before he's turning back to face me. "And you, we're going to talk whether you like it or not." ' _Goddamn I've always had a thing for dominant men.'_

The happy _couple_ waits until the others are out of earshot, both of them eyeing me closely as if I might run. I lean against a tree tiredly, the exhaustion I've been feeling for the past five years finally catching up to me. I can feel my world beginning to spin and spots begin to dance in my vision, everything going black just as I hear my someone say my name.

 _ **December 2nd, 2023 - Saturday**_

"I cannot believe that you passed out to avoid a conversation," I slowly open my eyes to see I'm in a room that isn't my own, oddly soothed by the creme colors. I sit up and glance around the room curiously, meeting the Doc's hazel eyes.

"We keep meeting like this," I mutter quietly, rubbing my face tiredly as my _Imprints_ watch me curiously.

"Why did you pass out?" Esme inquires gently, her eyes holding that weird emotion, affection or some shit.

"I don't know, with my annoying condition I didn't think human illnesses affected me anymore." I state truthfully, brushing my hair from my eyes with an annoyed sigh, eager to get this shit cut off soon.

"Condition?" I smirk over at Esme as I slide my legs off the bed, surprised to find that I'm dressed in a pair of shorts and a tee. ' _Guess my ass was just too distracting.'_

"During my time away I was injured pretty bad, it was bad enough that a friend of mine risked killing my wolf to save me." I explain, doing my best to ignore the way their eyes darken almost simultaneously and what it's doing to me. "She bit me but it wasn't enough to kill my wolf, but enough to partially transform."

"Wait," Doc interrupts, though apologetically, "Like a hybrid? Half shifter, half vampire?" At my nod his eyes widen, sort of like the vampire version of Hermione Granger when she's reading. "Amazing, I knew a human/vampire hybrid was possible but I've never heard of someone like you."

"I'm one of a kind," I brag confidently, trying to keep myself calm the only way I know how. "Wait, what do you mean human/leech hybrid?"

"I think that's a story for a later time, for now we need to figure out what happens next. You can't live without us, and we won't live without you. So, how do we proceed Mr. Reynolds?" Esme smiles, the older woman making me want to be the subbiest sub in the world for them with those stupidly beautiful eyes and caring smile.

"I plan to leave in five days, with my girlfriend." I state, ignoring their oh-so-sexy growls though my dick definitely doesn't. ' _Down boy.'_ "If you can convince me to stay before the fifth day is over then I will. If not, I'm gone and you two can get on with your life." I hold my hand out to Esme first as she is the lady in this relationship and she would come first, shaking her hand gently before doing the same with the Doc.

"How is this going to work, Harper?" Doc questions curiously, head tilted almost imperceptibly to the side as if he was a puppy. ' _A really fuckin' cute puppy, maybe.'_

"I'll stay with my friends but I'll be here every day, around six-ish. We can do whatever you like, though there are exceptions that can be discussed at a later date. I wish you luck, 'cause I'm one stubborn guy and I am determined to not ruin your life." I give the pair one last smirk before heading out the door, not really sure where I'm going but I needed out of the room.

Eventually I find the exit through guessing and hope, and maybe some scenting, glad that I didn't run into the other Cullens. I shift quickly and head home, knowing that the others are probably pissed. I stay under cover of the trees as I follow the road, slipping into our "land" and into the kitchen.

"Harper!" I shift back and am sad that my shorts and shirt weren't lucky enough to survive like my volleyball ones. I take the tank top that Anni offers with a small smile, leaning over to press a quick kiss to her lips, trying to ignore how _wrong_ it feels.

"Are you okay, we thought you were just going for a run?" I sigh deeply and retell the whole story, leaving out the part about pitching a tent for my mates just because they growled at me. ' _Yeah that was not important at the time.'_ When I'm done speaking they all just stare at me, though Anni has that sad look in her eyes, like she already knows what I'm going to decide.

When the younger wolf slips out of the room I just let my head fall to the table, figuring she probably wants space right now. I slam my head on the table to try and put myself out of fucking misery, but Ryder has other ideas. He holds the back of my hair lightly until I make the effort to look at the Golden Trio, all three of them watching me expectantly.

"So you have two mates as well?" Danny asks hesitantly, the younger boy eyeing me as I grab a bottle from the fridge. ' _Just because I can't get smashed doesn't mean I don't like trying.'_ I sip on the Malibu for a few seconds, hoping for some affect but nothing.

"Yeah, Carlisle and Esme Cullen. They're both so sweet and fucking hot, how is my bisexual ass to resist two hot people?" I groan, running a hand through my hair as I berate myself for already falling for them.

"Well, you could be like us, happy. Or you can keep running because you're a dumbass, in the end it's your choice, Harper." Liz replies, sounding more like the teenager she appears as.

"I don't want them to think they want me, and find out later on that it's me _and_ my fuckin' problems. I still have panic attacks, I refuse to face my problems, and I'm a major pain in the ass." I list, ticking each fault off on my fingers to sort of prove a point. "They don't know what they're getting, they're just drawn to me because of this stupid bond." I take another large gulp of rum, enjoying the taste more than the effect it's not giving me.

"Harper, they will come to love you and understand your problems, but you have to _**let**_ them in." Ryder explains slowly, a sigh escaping my lips as I realize he's right, but then smirking as I know I won't change. "I bet you choose to stay, with your soulmates, like a _good boy_." I unconsciously shiver at the praise, glaring at the leeches across from me in annoyance. ' _They know how to get me to listen.'_

"Oh yeah, what if they don't want a sub? You and I both know I am the biggest bottom in the country, what if they need a Dom?" I add, raising a brow at the trio when they begin to laugh loudly. "What now?"

"Oh come on, do you really think that Carlisle Cullen needs a Dom? _He_ is the Dom, sweetcheeks, and that beautiful mate of his is probably a Switch." I immediately growl at Danny, wincing when I realize what I'm doing.

"Fuck off," I mutter absently when they begin to laugh even louder, leaving the pricks behind and heading up to my temporary room. I find Anni sitting in the bay window, knees pulled up to her chest and mascara effectively ruined. "Hey baby," Said woman looks over at me, eyes puffy and tear tracks on her cheeks. ' _Well fuck.'_

"Go away Harper, please." She whispers, looking away from me as fresh tears begin to fall. I want to ignore her wishes and comfort her but with the way she said my name, I know she's better off alone. I head back downstairs and flop onto the couch, closing my eyes and mind immediately.

 _ **December 3rd, 2023 - Sunday**_

I'm up at five to take a quick shower before the trio come to bother me or Anni wakes up, if she even went to sleep. I take my time under the burning hot water, mind wandering to each scenario for today. The water eventually runs cold making me hop out with a squeak, swearing under my breath as I dry off.

I apply a bit of makeup to my scars just in case I shift, not wanting to take the chance that any Cullens know what top surgery scars look like. They may have had thoughts about why I preferred Harper to my birth name but I'd rather be the one to confirm it, in my own time and on my own terms.

I tie a pair of jeans and a long sleeve around my waist as I step out the back door, quickly shifting and running to the spot where the Cullens found me yesterday. I follow the Doc's scent back to a stunning house, deep in the forest and away from the pesky humans. Before I get closer I shift back and pull on my clothes, rolling up my sleeves to my elbows as I go to knock on the door.

"Morning Harper!" Emmett greets excitedly as he opens the door, the large man moving to the side to let me in. I stick my hands into my pockets awkwardly as he leads me to the living room, Emmett's wife and Mr. Whitlock watching something on TV. They both turn to look at me, the latter smiling slightly while Mrs. McCarty just seems cautious.

"Esme's in the kitchen," Whitlock calls out, nodding to an open doorway behind him. I walk into the beautifully done kitchen to see my Imprint grabbing things from cabinets and setting them on the island. I lean against the doorway with my arms crossed over my chest until she turns around, knowing she can smell that I'm here.

"I'm baking cookies for the hospital, care to help?" Esme questions, a smile hinting at her lips as she peers over at me.

"I don't think you want me anywhere near your food, I tend to set things on fire." I retort with a grin, moving to sit at the island across from her. "Danny banned me from the kitchen after I broke the second microwave," She raises a brow at me as I rest my head in my hands, still smiling like an idiot as I'm enveloped in her warm scent.

"Okay, how many piercings do you have?" I rub my thumb across the smooth metal with a soft smile, reaching up to brush my hair back.

"Two in my lips, four in my right ear, three in my left, and one in my mouth." I reply simply, turning my head to show her each ear. "The lip ones are called Snake Bites, the three hoops in my ears are Helices and the stud is the standard lobe. The bar is an Industrial, the hoop on the inside is a Daith, and the one on the outside is a Tragus." I explain softly, pointing out each one helpfully.

"Why did you get them, you didn't even have the standard one when you were here." She states, amber eyes watching me as she mixes ingredients, offering me the spoon with a smirk when she's done.

"To disappear, people saw me as the feminine boy with bright green hair. Thankfully I always had my arms covered and no one saw my tattoos, so when I washed the dye out and Liz pierced me up, I looked completely different." I lick the batter off the spoon happily, grinning up at her as her eyes begin to darken. ' _I'm such a dick.'_

"Who were you hiding from?" Esme asks gently, but I feel she may already know the answer.

"Everyone, I wasn't ready to be a mate with one person let alone two. I wasn't ready to be a person." I murmur, glancing away from her caring eyes. "I had to fix myself before I could have someone depend on me, it took about three years and meeting Annika for me to get to where I am today." ' _It took a long time to stop flinching, and even longer to feel okay in my body.'_

I watch as she puts the cookies in the oven, the woman spinning around to match my position and leaning in close. She's a few inches taller than me so I'm staring up into her eyes, though they're drawn to her lips after a second. ' _They look soft, and she probably tastes like cookies.'_

"Are you done disappearing?" I smirk a bit and lean back, running a hand through my hair thoughtfully.

"I'm not sure yet," I mutter honestly, slipping my hands into my pockets as I realize something. "Where's the Doc?" Esme smiles as she wipes the batter off her hands, my imprint coming around the island to join me.

"Carlisle's at the hospital, his shift ends at noon." She replies smoothly, beckoning for me to follow as she leaves the kitchen. We're about to head up the stairs when there's a knock on the door, Esme freezing as neither of us expected guests. I scent the air quickly and then swear, realizing the scents immediately. I yank the door open to reveal the Golden Trio wearing matching smirks, each one annoying me more and more.

"What the hell are you three doing here?" I question lowly, making sure they cannot see my Imprint. ' _God knows I don't need them giving me shit just yet.'_

"You left your bag in your room, Annika threw it on the couch so I figured we'd bring it to you since we're going away for a few days." Liz explains simply, handing me the messenger bag. "Annika's staying here so, uh, have fun with that Harper. Don't set the house on fire, we'll be back in five days so try not to make her cry the whole time."

"Where are you going?" I watch them share a look and then shake my head, "Nevermind, I don't want to know. Stay safe, make sure you hunt before you go and if you're around other people keep the noise down."

"Bye Harper," Danny calls out as they head back to their car, "Use protection!" I roll my eyes as my face begins to heat up, turning back to Esme awkwardly as I shut the door. I ignore her knowing smirk and instead adjust my bag on my shoulder, glancing around the living room.

"Where are the others?" I follow her upstairs and finally hear the piano, figuring that Mr. Masen is playing.

"Well Edward is playing, Rose is in the garage, Bella and Renesmee are shopping with Alice, Jacob is out running, and I believe Jasper and Emmett are hunting." I hum thoughtfully as I listen to Bronze Age play, peeking into the room as we pass. "I need to talk with a client Harper, I'll be back in a few minutes."

I pull my sketchbook out and sketch the outline of Edward, making sure I have a good mental picture. I fill in some of the smaller details while I'm here, not even noticing that my Imprint had appeared beside me. I jump when rests her hand on my bicep, not having expected her to be back so soon.

"Care to join me in the study?" I nod and follow her down the hall to a well lit office, Esme taking a seat at the desk while I take the couch. I pull out my colored pencils and finish the drawing of Mr. Masen while Esme works, letting myself get comfortable with her.

"Why do you like to draw?" I glance up at the sudden question, raising a brow at Esme as I stop coloring in the picture.

"I didn't start school until I was seven, my parents wanted to travel to all 50 states. I think I skipped a grade or two but I'm not sure, I blocked out my childhood. My parents divorced when I was eight so my third grade year I think, and thankfully I stayed with my mother." I state darkly, remembering how I came home to see my father leave, glad that the bastard was gone. "I had preferred neglectful to abusive any day, though sometimes I wish I had normal parents, a normal life."

"Your father was always like that?" Esme asks gently, though I can hear the underlying tone of disgust. ' _He disgusts me too.'_

"As far as I remember, he just hit my mother until I was about six, then he started in on me. When I was taken from my mother in New York and given to him, he waited three weeks before enrolling me in school." I close my eyes as memories from the weeks come flashing back, the familiar anger and self-loathing bubbling up within me at the fact that I let him do this to me.

"Why did he wait so long?"

"He broke me in, house trained me. I cooked, cleaned, and took my beatings like a good boy. I let him beat me because I thought it was my fault their marriage failed, that I was why he drank so much." I take a deep breath as I talk about my past for the first time in years, doing my best to keep the anger/self-loathing/anxiety mixture at bay. "I let him turn me into a subservient, submissive, dog basically. I knew all the tricks," I look over at Esme again and then look away just as quickly, not able to handle the horrified expression on her face.

"Back to the actual question, sorry. I didn't have friends, family, or anyone at first. I met this girl and we became close, she gave me a sketchbook and told me to draw her. It turned out terrible but I figured out that I loved to draw, it helped." I explain, brushing my hair away from my eyes before going back to drawing.

Esme is quiet for a little while, though I can feel her eyes on me as I finish the drawing and sign my name. I set the book to the side and take deep breath, letting my head fall back against the couch. When I open my eyes again I note a familiar painting hanging on the wall across from me.

"Where did you get my fish painting?" I question curiously, glancing over at Esme but she's still just staring at me. I can see her hands clenched into fists atop the desk, her eyes practically black except for a slim ring around her iris. "Esme?" She snaps out of it when I say her name, although her eyes are still filled with hints of anger.

"I'm sorry Harper, what did you ask?"

"Where did you get my fish painting? I only painted one copy, at least in black and white." ' _Granted I only painted it again because Ryder liked it.'_

"Oh, Emmett bought it when he saw it at an auction that Alice dragged him to. He pointed to the initials at the bottom and then showed us a picture of the original, the art project from his class." Esme smiles fondly, the black slowly receding from her eyes to reveal the amber once again. "Why did you start selling your art?"

"Well, I didn't want to be a burden on Liz anymore so I did the one thing I'm good at. I drew." I confess quietly, peering out the window at the snow that had begun to fall, the ground and trees already thoroughly covered. "Ryder and Liz have connections all around the world so finding an art dealer wasn't hard, it was selling it. You guys were my first real sale then since that painting was the first one I decided to sale."

"It's beautiful, it goes very well with the office." I go to say something when I hear the door open and then shut, turning my head a bit when someone begins walking up the stairs. The door to the study opens and in steps the Doc, a small smile on his face as he greets his wife with a kiss.

"Afternoon Harper," I nod awkwardly and go back to looking out the window, unsure of what to say. "If you want, Emmett's invited you to play video games in the screening room." I take the escape route with a smile of my own and pack up my stuff, unsure if I can handle both of my mates at once.

I follow Emmett's scent through the house and knock on the door, the large man-child opening the door with a grin. He motions me in and then shuts the door back, plopping down on the upper level of the black couch. The room is all black with light blue lights up at the ceiling that give the room a very nice aesthetic, everything neat and in its place.

I take a seat behind Emmett as I don't want to turn my back to him, despite the fact that I may be able to take him. He hands me a controller and gives me a quick lesson in how to do everything before starting the round. It seems to be an FPS like the old Call of Duty games so at least I know the goal, and how to play.

"How the fuck did you do that?" I chuckle as he restarts the match having lost majorly, reaching down to pat his shoulder sympathetically.

"I lived with two very competitive males, not including myself, so I had to learn. With my memory it didn't take too long, not as long as it took Ryder to teach Danny." I shrug absently, throwing a knife at Emmett with a triumphant 'aha' and a smirk.

Thankfully Emmett doesn't talk while we're playing, way more interested in swearing loudly. After awhile Carlisle sticks his head in and tells me there's food if I'm hungry, though I'd rather devour him if I'm honest. ' _Goddamn blond Adonis.'_ I leave Emmett and head back to the kitchen where Esme is already sitting, a plate next to her.

"So Harper, where have you been the past five years?" Carlisle inquires as I take a seat, hazel eyes watching me as I eat slowly, moaning at the taste of real food. ' _Better than anything I can make in the microwave.'_

"A lot of places, I stayed and healed with my friends for about three months before running off on my own. I lived in my wolf form for just under a year before returning to my friends, though they had gained a new member when I found them again." I start simply, running a hand through my hair out of habit. "I heal quicker in wolf form and it helped my mind heal most of all, I eventually stopped flinching anytime someone touched me or jumping at loud noises. I wanted to be the real me if I ever came back to you, but I didn't know who the real me was after living a lie for so long."

"So you did plan to come back?" Esme asks hesitant, the hope evident in her eyes as I swallow another bite of chicken.

"Eventually, I just wanted to be healed beforehand. Granted, it took five years for me to get to this, what I'd call 90%, so I don't know when I would've been back." I mutter, thinking back to my year spent as a wolf. ' _Everything was so much simpler then.'_

"Why do you think you're only at 90%?" I glance up at Carlisle and smirk, biting the inside of my cheek to keep from saying something rude.

"I still can't communicate that well, and I don't really understand people caring about me either. It's just hard for me, though sexual intimacy has always been simple. I can detach myself from the situation and just let it happen, I don't need to be aware." I see Carlisle's jaw clench subtly at my confession, a flicker of anger clear in his eyes as he regards me for a second. ' _It's easier to talk to them than I thought.'_

"What else is hard for you, such as triggers?" I swallow nervously as a pit of anxiety begins to settle in my gut, though I tell myself I'm safe here.

"I can't sit with my back to people, I still can't see someone take off a belt. Learned that one the hard way," I mumble the last part to myself, though I know they heard it. "I'm not good with crowds just yet, but my panics are becoming less frequent. I haven't had one in a few months so I'm taking it as a good sign."

"How long have you had anxiety attacks?" ' _Since I've had anxiety.'_

"Since I was like, nine maybe? Granted I didn't know what it was at the time, I just knew it felt terrible." I admit quietly, pushing away the plate despite half of the food left untouched. "Sorry, I haven't been able to eat much since being turned." I smile apologetically as I get up to wash the plate, feeling kind of bad that she thought she needed to feed me.

"So do you _need_ to eat human food?" Carlisle asks thoughtfully, the wheels already turning in his head.

"No, I don't. I can, but I usually don't unless I'm with humans to keep up appearances. I do need to hunt at least once every two weeks, more if I don't eat a lot." I take a second to listen to the noise outside the kitchen, trying to figure out how many people can hear me. "I'm just glad human blood doesn't attract me, it's always been animal blood for me."

"So you don't feel the need to feed from humans, at all?"

"No I do, it's just blocked out by my wolf side that is programmed to kill le-vampires." I correct quickly, popping my knuckles out of habit. "If I haven't shifted in awhile I get more drawn to it though I never go more than a few days without shifting. I've pretty much shifted everyday for the past three months, I feel more comfortable in wolf form." I check glance down at my watch and surprised to see that it's almost five. ' _Time passes by quickly when you're talking about your problems.'_

"I gotta go, but I'll see you tomorrow, I promise." I state quickly, smiling at the pair before heading out the door, not giving them the chance to keep me here. I head out the door and into the woods, stripping out of my clothes before shifting and taking them into my mouth.

I run back to the house quicker than ever, barely remembering to shift back before going inside. I toss my clothes into the laundry room as I pass by, jogging up the steps as Anni's cedar and sap scent fills my nose. I nudge open the door with a smile, expecting to see her sitting in the window like last night but the room is empty save for a piece of paper on the floor.


	5. Caring Mates and A Life Story

_**Enjoy two updates in one day whoever's reading this. Don't forget to use the link on the previous chapter if you want, writerboy2003/**_

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 **December 4th, 2023 - Monday**

' _I'm sorry Harper, but this is the end. I love you, but you don't love me. I'll see you again, goodbye Harper.'_ It goes through my head about a million times, so much so that I can't sleep. I try to distract myself by drawing and it works for one picture of Mrs. Whitlock and then I'm distracted again. Worried about what happened to Annika, or what's going to happen.

My phone starts to beep obnoxiously, effectively snapping me out of my trance. I push myself off the floor and step into the bathroom, brushing my teeth and hair halfheartedly before tying some clothes around my torso. I stumble down the stairs and out the back door with my messenger bag over my shoulder, shifting with ease before heading off into the trees.

The run is quiet and somewhat relaxing, just what I need at this point. I get to the Cullen house quicker than I had expected but I shift back nonetheless. I pull on the shorts and tank-top with a soft sigh, walking to the door and knocking gently. Carlisle opens the door this time, a smile on his face as he lets me in though it falls when I can't return it.

"Are you okay Harper?" He questions softly, his stupidly beautiful eyes so full of concern it makes me want to scream. ' _I do not deserve his fucking concern.'_ He doesn't seem to believe me when I give him a sharp nod instead of a real answer, but he does lead me up the stairs anyways. "The others are out teaching and Renesmee is picking flowers so it's just us." ' _Who the fuck is Renesmee?'_

We're back in the office but this time I take a seat in the lone armchair, the happy pair on the couch across from me. I can feel them just watching me as I set my bag down beside the chair, pulling my legs into the chair so I can sort of curl in on myself. I close my eyes and take a few deep breaths to keep my gifts in check because I really don't want to set this chair on fire.

"We figured we could just talk, is that okay Harper?" I open my eyes and peer at the both of them closely, nodding slowly after a second. "Why did you run instead of coming to us for help?" ' _Goddamnit blond Adonis.'_

"I don't talk about my problems unless it's in a self-loathing manner, and I don't need help dealing with them." I reply quietly, clenching and unclenching my fist every so often. "I refuse to stick someone else with my problems, especially when they're supposed to depend on me."

"It goes both ways Harper," Esme states softly, the same caring tone as her husband. "We are your mates, that means you're stuck with us in turn. We have our own problems, but you would even us out." ' _God, fuck this. It's time they understand why I'm not good enough.'_

"I was born on December 24th, 2000 in some shitty hospital in an equally shitty part of Mississippi." I start darkly, glaring out the window instead of at them. "As soon as my mother was cleared we were out, travelling the 50 states like she always wanted. I spent the first seven years of my life moving around, never having friends or even a real family. The first memory I have of my parents is my father throwing a beer bottle at her."

"When I was eight we settled in New York and about six months later my parents got divorced, thank fuck for that. My mother turned to pills and alcohol, and then cocaine when that stopped working. I played instruments in any competition I could, I played on the street corners, I even turned to pickpocketing a few times. Anything to make money. When I turned ten I met this group of outcasts, kids like me."

"I stopped going to the apartment and for days at a time I'd stay in their warehouse, my first real home until most of those kids got caught by the cops. I got kicked out of my first school that year, beat the shit out of some kid who hurt my friend. I figured out pretty quick that I was different than most _girls_ ," I pause to see their reaction though they're just listening intently, not giving much away. "I wasn't a girl, I was a freak."

"When I was twelve Liz explained to me that I was transgender, female to male, and that it was okay. She went through about a million different names with me before I settled on Harper, the only one that felt right. A few months later I realized that on top of being a trans boy I was also attracted to both genders, another notch in the Freak column. I got my first tattoo after I accepted who I was." I turn to the left to show them the small flag on my ear, smiling a bit at the memory despite my intense self-hatred.

"I was _never_ shy about telling people who I was, and that led to pretty intense bullying throughout middle school and high school. It got pretty bad when I was fourteen and in 8th grade, the bullies got more imaginative. One group of jocks caught me afterschool and tried to 'beat the gay' out of me, though it didn't work. I had to walk home with the word 'faggot' written on my forehead, and my mother didn't even bat an eye when she saw it." I bite down on my lip as I reign in my emotions, though I do reach out to feel theirs, thanks to Mr. Whitlock of course. ' _Anger, sadness, intense affection, yadda yadda.'_

"After that I fell down a rabbit hole called intense depression. I realized that my parents were literal garbage and that my childhood wasn't normal. I turned to smoking and drinking, but when that stopped working I turned to a razor blade, just to feel something other than the infinite emptiness. I attempted suicide for the first time that Christmas I think, but it obviously didn't work." I laugh drily, running a hand through my hair as I think about the look on Liz's face when I woke up at her place.

"My friend found me and stitched me up, made sure I knew there were better options and all that. I didn't listen of course, I just devolved into a very angry and sad boy that wanted to jump off a cliff. I started smoking the harder stuff on my 15th birthday, my group easily getting me the stuff I needed. Around that time I started to sell my body too, because my mother had lost her job and rent needed to be paid, and I was cute enough to bed." I ignore Esme's horrified gasp, resisting the urge to stop talking because _they need to understand I'm not good enough._

"Men didn't care about the scars or the open wounds, I was just a hole to fuck and I was damn good at my job. Around October of that year I had taken a few shots and then slipped outside to down an entire bottle of pills I found in my mother's purse, not caring what happened. I woke up in a hospital and a few days later I was released out into the world once again, no one caring that I could just try again as soon as I was home." I swallow the bile rising in my throat and force myself to continue.

"That's when I got my second tattoo, the wings on my back." I stand up and tug my shirt off to reveal the rainbow wings on my back. "The bird was from the first time, Liz said I was like a caged canary so I said let's get a fucking bird on my wrist. The quote was from when I turned seventeen and I had successfully fucked up my life, and my body. I was smoking on the roof of some abandoned building when I just stepped towards the edge. I had shifted the year before and my wolf was howling at me to quit but I almost stepped off when she mentioned my Imprint." I chuckle darkly as all those useless emotions I locked away start to pound on the door.

"To think, two people I had never met saved my life that night. I stopped smoking weed, taking pills, selling my body, and cutting. I drew, picked fights, danced, and seduced random people at parties. Anything to keep my mind off what I really wanted, I traded one evil for another and it worked. My life was looking up for once, until my mother was arrested and I was sent to live with my father who then moved us to goddamn Alaska."

"Now I didn't start school for three hellish weeks. No, I cooked, cleaned, and get the fuck beat out of me on an _hourly_ basis. I am fuckin' lucky I didn't end up in the hospital beforehand, hell I probably would have died that night if you guys hadn't looked out for me. What I'm trying to get at is that I am wreck. Mentally, emotionally, and physically a wreck. I am a hybrid freak who isn't even a real male, I literally am not deserving of you two. God knows I didn't deserve the Golden Trio or Annika either." I feel the carefully constructed dam I placed in the back of my mind finally break under the torrent of emotions.

"Harper…" The way he says my name has me using a burst of superspeed to get out of the room, their warm scents and caring eyes smothering me. I try to get home but I barely get out the door before I collapse in the snow, the weight of the world crashing on to my bare shoulders. I sob relentlessly as everything I've bottled up inside is let out, not even the scent of my Imprints around me helping. I can feel my wings flutter as they get close but as I tears run down my cheeks all I can think is that I just ruined my own happy ending.

 **~_~.~_~**

"His wings were beautiful." I slowly open my eyes but then bolt upright, eyes settling on my Imprints lounging across from me. "Are you okay, Harper?" I glance down at my twitching hands and nod, trying to convince myself more than her.

"I'm fine, I'm going home." I mutter quietly, already halfway to the door when Carlisle grabs my wrist in a gentle grasp.

"Stay?" I fucking melt at his plea, turning to look up at him and nodding slowly. He draws me into a light hug, arms wrapped around my waist as I lay my head against his chest. "We've got you now, you're going to be okay Harper." He lets go and pulls me back to the bed, though stops when I freeze up, unwilling to move further.

"Harper, we're just going to lay down okay?" Esme says softly from behind me, her hand coming to hold my hip as I let Carlisle pull me down. I tuck myself into his side and wrap my arms around his waist, gripping the older vampire almost possessively as Esme slips in behind me. Someone pulls the duvet over us but I'm half asleep when I realize that I've already made my decision.

 **~_~.~_~**

When I wake up again I'm alone. An overwhelming sense of panic fills me when I realize that I scared them off. ' _But that's what I wanted right?'_ I begin to hyperventilate and then arms are wrapping around me, Esme's soft voice in my ear as she whispers reassurances. ' _You're okay Harper, we're still here, we're not leaving you.'_

I eventually calm down enough to breathe normally, though I'm still holding on to my Imprint tightly. I let go soon after, scooting away from her awkwardly and wrapping my arms around my stomach instead. ' _I don't do weakness.'_

"Sorry," I mutter, peering around the room to keep from looking at Esme.

"It's fine Harper, we're not leaving." ' _Yeah but I might.'_ I slide off the bed and to the window, peering outside to see it's still day at least. "No one's home yet so feel free to explore, or wander around outside." She leaves me alone with a soft smile so I head down the hall, peeking my head into each open doorway until I find a piano. I sit down gingerly on the bench and let my fingers ghost over the keys before I begin to play.

" _ **Na na na na na na na na na…"**_ I play the familiar notes with ease, even though I haven't played in almost five years. " _ **It's hard enough to to find the time to sleep, it's easier to find the time to dream. Another night spent too far from the stars, things aren't always what they seem. It's hard enough to find my place at home, it's easier out here on my own. A father's love is no such thing I know, things aren't always what they seem."**_

" _ **Oh things aren't always what they seem, things aren't always what they seem to be and I just hope your memory's proud of me. I might cry myself to sleep and imagine that you're here with me."**_ I can feel someone watching me but after my breakdown I'm too tired to care. " _ **It's hard enough to find someone to trust, it's easier to live life scared to love. A mother's touch stolen way too soon. Things aren't always what they seem. No things aren't always what they seem to be and I just hope your memory's proud of me. I might cry myself to sleep and imagine that you're here with me."**_

" _ **You're not really that much different from me, oh I've got everything it seems but what I need. Oh won't you tell me what you see when you look at me, when you look at me. No things aren't always what they seem, things aren't always what they seem to be and I just hope your memory's proud of me. I might cry myself to sleep and imagine that you're here with me."**_ I play the closing notes and slowly pull my hands away from the keys, taking a deep breath before turning to face my Imprints.

"So you can sing as well?" I nod curtly as I slide off the bench and approach them, though keeping a good amount of distance between us.

"A friend's mom gave me free lessons when I was younger after she heard me performing on the streets. I like music so singing just came natural to me, if I didn't want to talk I sang about it. Kinda like a Glee reject, ya know?" I state absently, using the same analogy that Liz had when I was younger.

"Any other talents we should know of?" Esme teases softly, mirth easily seen in her eyes as I cross my arms over my chest.

"I'm good with knives, and fighting." I supply absently, not sure if I want to tell them about my other gifts just yet. "You've seen my wings, which is my ability I guess."

"They're beautiful," Esme states simply, still smiling at me as I begin to fidget under their gazes.

"Danny used to joke that they were the wrong color seeing as the ones on my back are a whole rainbow." I run a hand through my hair nervously as I try to fill the silence, not really sure what to talk about. "I don't really use them that much though."

"Well they're stunning Harper," Carlisle comments gently, a small smile on his lips. "The others should be back soon so be ready for that." I nod and watch as they leave, breathing out a sigh of relief. I head back to Carlisle's office to see my bag is still by the chair, not having moved an inch.

I sling it over my shoulder and head downstairs, slipping outside without a sound. I find a large boulder sitting beside a tall ass tree, thankfully bare of snow so I hop on top and pull out my phone. I plug my earbuds in and scroll through my music absentmindedly, finally choosing my Anti-Anxiety playlist. When Bob Seger's "Old Time Rock and Roll" begins to play I just smile and pull out my sketchbook, intent on rebuilding the emotional dam my Imprints tore down.

I end up finishing two drawings by the time someone comes to fetch me, one of Mr. Black and Emmett, though Emmett's is of when I saw him Friday without his shirt. I can feel someone watching me as I finish but I'm so wrapped up in my work that I don't care too much. When I've finally signed that page I slide off the rock and nod to Mrs. McCarty.

"Hey Harper, how are you?" The blonde asks gently, sounding somewhat sincere as she speaks.

"I'm fine, and you, ma'am?" ' _I may not be great but I'm good enough.'_ I put my sketchbook and pens back into my bag slowly, keeping my eyes down just in case she has a gift similar to Mr. Masen's. ' _Though if she does I just need to play shitty pop music, that usually works.'_

"It's Rosalie or Rose, ma'am makes me feel old." She states with a wave of her hand, smirking down at me as we head inside.

"No offense, but I'm going to say you're around 50. Am I even remotely close?" I assume quietly, trying to figure out her exact age. "Because Carlisle's like 300 or something, Mr. Masen is 100 give or take, and Mrs. Masen is hella young. I'd say she's been a vampire for maybe a few years, under 20 at least."

"A lady never tells her age but no, you're 58 years off, Mr. Reynolds." I roll my eyes but nod along, sticking my hands into my pockets as we step inside. "Though you are right about the others. Carlisle is around 380, Edward is 122 I think, and Bella is our second youngest at 35." I hum thoughtfully as I take a seat on the couch beside her, glancing around for the others.

"Who's the youngest?" I inquire curiously, running a hand through my hair as go through a list of all the Cullens I know.

"Renesmee, though she's only half vampire so I'm unsure if it counts." ' _Oh yeah, Carlisle mentioned another hybrid at one point.'_ "You're half shifter, right?"

"Yeah, half shifter, half vampire." I reply smoothly, trying to remember if I told the group about my condition or if my Imprints did. "The only way you'd be able to tell is by my body temperature or if you look really close at my eyes."

"I get your body being cold but why your eyes?" Rosalie asks, eyebrows scrunched up in confusion as she peers closely at me.

"There's a thin ring of gold around my iris, and it's even more pronounced when I'm in wolf form." I explain simply, opening my eyes a bit wider so she can see them. "I'm glad that I got to keep my green eyes and that some of my scars are faded, though I wish other things had changed too." Rosalie nods her understanding and looks out the window, a sorrowful look in her eyes.

"Did you choose to be changed?" ' _Do any of us really choose this?'_

"I didn't have a choice, it was either this or die from blood loss." I answer quietly, eyeing the blonde warily. ' _I don't do sad people.'_

"I didn't choose this but I'm glad that Carlisle changed me, had he not I would have never met Emmett." She states with a sad smile, hands clasped tightly in her lap and her eyes down. "Carlisle found me in an alleyway, broken and bloody. As a young woman I was expected to marry rich and the most eligible bachelor was Royce King, a banker's son. He was handsome and charming, and every girl wanted him yet he chose me." I keep quiet as I would probably say something rude to cover up how uncomfortable I am.

"One night I was going home and I stumbled upon Royce and his friends so I went to say hello, only they had been drinking heavily." ' _Oh dear god this cannot end well.'_ "They assaulted me, they beat and raped me. I screamed and begged as they took their turns, but they just left me to die in the streets." ' _Goddamn I don't do sad woman, or sadness in general.'_

"I guess what I'm trying to say Harper, is that you're not alone. Our situations may have not been exactly the same but I understand wanting to end the pain, the anger, but I know that it does get better." Rosalie murmurs, venom welling up in the corner of her eyes though it will never fall. "Your mates care about you and can help you, just like Emmett helped me."

"I don't really do relationships, or commitment, or having people care about me." I mutter, scratching the back of my neck awkwardly. "I'm not really good for anyone the way I am, I need some more time to deal with everything."

"Another five years?" The blonde retorts drily, peering at me closely as I rest my head in my hands.

"No, not quite that long. I have three more days to make a decision but I don't know what I want to do." I admit softly, rubbing my eyes tiredly despite having passed out twice today. "I want to go off on my own and figure things out, try and fix my head."

"Healing sometimes goes better with people to help you, Harper." I legitimately listen to what she's saying instead of writing it off, kind of wanting to find another option than leaving my Imprints behind. "On a lighter note you'll get to meet Renesmee tonight, she's excited to meet another wolf."

"Who exactly is Renesmee?" I question, trying not to fuck up the girl's name.

"Edward and Bella's daughter, and Imprint to Jacob." Rosalie explains, watching me try and figure that out with a small smile. "She was pregnant when she was human and when Nessie was born Edward turned her."

"Interesting, I didn't think vampires could impregnate humans." Rosalie shrugs as I try and figure out how it's even possible. "Nevermind, I'mma chalk it up to vampire magic." I mutter, head starting to hurt from thinking too damn hard. Thankfully we sit in silence for only a few minutes, the door opening and closing quickly before a girl is bounding over to us.

"Hi, I'm Renesmee, but you can call me Nessie!" I lean back a bit at her enthusiasm, definitely not ready for this.

"Hello, I'm Harper Reynolds." I greet quietly, holding out my hand to the teen awkwardly.

"Oh I know, mom and dad were talking about you with grandma and grandpa Friday, you being their mate and all. Do you like flowers?" ' _Does everyone know what happened Friday?'_

"I like flowers, yeah, my favorite are white roses or black ones." I reply softly, running a hand through my hair.

"That's cool, I like Daisies and Irises. And roses and Carnations, and Sunflowers. Do I have to call you grandpa?"

"Harper works, I'm pretty sure we're close in age anyway." I reply unsurely, looking over to Rosalie for help though the blonde just smirks at me.

"Alright, how long are you staying? You can stay forever, I'm sure no one else would mind if you stayed. I need a friend closer to my age and you seem pretty chill, but if you don't like sweets and shopping I don't know how close we can be." My eyes are wide as Renesmee talks, a million different thoughts running through my head.

"I uh, don't think I'm staying forever but I do like candy and shopping?" I state quietly, hoping I'm saying the right thing.

"Great, hopefully Jakey doesn't get all possessive. He gets pretty dumb when guys look at me and it's kind of cute sometimes, but it gets annoying quick. I'll see you later " ' _Good fucking god I'm going to die.'_ I watch the bronze haired teenager run up the steps, at human speed, and then turn to Rosalie.

"She seems nice," I comment absently, still trying to grasp her seemingly infinite sunshine. "Though neither Masen seems as cheerful as she does."

"I don't know where she got the rays of sunshine, we assume it's just natural." Rosalie informs absently, still watching me closely. "She seems to like you, just don't let Alice hear that you like to shop."

"Duly noted," I brush my hair from my eyes, jumping when the door opens once again and Emmett's booming voice fills the silence. All of the others are back and slightly dirty, presumably from hunting if the scent of animal blood is anything to go by. I get up and move to the armchair so Emmett can sit by his mate, the rest of them scattering around on the other two couches.

"Hey Harper, we don't really know anything about you, do we?" Mrs. Whitlock states, the small vampire perched in her mate's lap.

"It goes both ways, ma'am." I retort smoothly, not keen on breaking down once again because I told them my life story.

"Then we'll start with names, I'm Alice, the lap I'm sitting on belongs to Jasper, your fellow wolf is Jacob, you know Em and Rose, and lastly is Bella and Edward. What's your full name?" _Alice_ explains, pointing out each person to me quickly. ' _Thank god I'm good with names, well nicknames anyway.'_

"Harper James Reynolds," I drawl, raising a brow when she begins to giggle on her mate's lap.

"You have the same southern twang as Jasper!" She exclaims happily, said vampire just smirking down at the pixie. "Where are you from?"

"Mississippi, but I spent some time down south while I was travellin'. When I left I mostly stayed in Texas, Tennessee, and Louisiana." I answer quietly, rubbing the words on my wrist nervously.

"Jas is from Texas, Houston to be exact." ' _I wonder…'_ "What's your favorite color?" I raise a brow at the random question, realizing that this is an interrogation.

"Black, makes me look slim." I deadpan, twirling a pencil between my fingers rapidly as Jacob stifles a laugh. "Though I white, purple, and grey are next in that order."

"What's your favorite book?" Bella inquires with a smile, making this interrogation seem less terrifying. ' _Maybe that's why she's such a good counselor.'_

" _Harry Potter_ or _Percy Jackson_ ,"

"Why those?" ' _They remind me of myself.'_

"Underdog stories where the outcast turns out to be better than anyone believed. Plus, they both deal with heavy topics while also managing to have humorous moments." I admit, having to tell many people that in my life, especially when I was younger.

"Favorite song?" Jacob asks simply, smirking from me in his own armchair.

"It changes every week, I don't like to limit myself, though a classic is Can't Take My Eyes of You by Frankie Valli." Rosalie nods appreciatively at my answer while Jacob flat out doesn't know the song. "This week it's Mansion by NF, I can sort of relate to the lyrics."

"I like NF, his music's real." Jacob comments happily, accepting my answer as is. "Logic has some pretty good stuff too, same for Eminem." ' _Least he has decent rap taste.'_

"What about movies?" Jasper questions, smiling over at me from the couch he's sharing with the Masens.

"I like action and musicals, but if you're looking for a specific one then The Breakfast Club." I reply easily, not having changed my favorite movie since I was ten.

"That's a pretty good movie, what character are you?" ' _Uh, fuck if I know?'_

"Bender, we're pretty similar I guess, or the outcast girl." I shrug, not really knowing if there's another answer to give. Before anyone else can ask another question my Imprints swoop in like white knights, effectively saving me from their children.

"Stop interrogating him," Esme scolds gently, the pair smile over at me. "C'mon Harper, we have some food if you're hungry." I take the escape she gives me and follow her into the kitchen where there's a _small_ bowl of food in my spot from yesterday.

"They weren't bothering you, were they?" Carlisle questions, probably ready to lay down the law about pestering me.

"No, I get that they're curious." I soothe softly as I eat the mac'n'cheese, "Also, feel free to tell them my story. I really don't want to have another breakdown because I tried to discuss my issues."

"Are you sure you want to tell them now?" Esme asks gently, smooth lips creased in a slight frown.

"If I choose to stay I think they should know _exactly_ what I am, I'd want to know." I say absently, more focused on running through the outcomes. I eat quietly while they seem to have a silent conversation, not too caring about what they're saying.

I wash my dishes like last time before rejoining the others and leaving my Imprints to talk, plopping back down into my seat with a soft sigh. I pull out my sketchbook and work on another drawing, this one of Bella. I can hear Carlisle talking on the phone but I do my best not to listen in, glancing up when he's suddenly beside my chair, phone in hand.

"Who was it?" Edward asks simply, eyeing Carlisle's neutral expression along with me.

"The Denali's," He replies quietly, not meeting my eyes. "They're coming back tomorrow."


	6. The Denali Coven and Unexpected Gifts

**Kind of a short chapter but I hope you enjoy nonetheless. By now you should have used the Pinterest link so I'm gonna stop putting it in. Enjoy!**

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 **December 5th, 2023 - Tuesday**

I'm up early to shower and pick out somewhat decent clothes, wanting to make a good impression on the _Denalis_. Before I left last night Emmett explained that they were the only other vegetarian coven and that they were like family to them. ' _God I'm already meeting the cousins.'_

I wrap my chosen outfit around my waist, glad that I left my bag at the Cullen place, before heading outside. Just like the past three days I shift and run to the Cullen house, making sure to keep my clothes somewhat clean. Before I reach the edge of the trees I shift back and slide on my skinny jeans, glad that my light grey button up is still clea. I roll my sleeves up to my elbows before going to knock on the door, smiling slightly at Esme when she opens the door.

"Good morning, Harper." She greets softly, motioning for me to come in. I find my bag on the hanger with a smile, glad that they respect my boundaries.

"Hello Esme, Carlisle's at work?" She nods as I follow her up the stairs, my eyes trailing up her legs and to her perfect dazedly. ' _They're both a work of art.'_

"He'll be back around five, the children around three today because of early dismissal, and the Denalis by six." She recites perfectly, not hesitating once as we stand at the study door. "I have to order some things for one of my clients, will you be okay?"

"I'll be fine." I state easily, glad for some time of my own as she slips into the study with ease. I step into the sun room and plop down on the floor, leaning against the wall and pulling out my sketchbook. I go back through everything I've drawn and just add little details here and there, improve everything.

I finish my sketch of Bella pretty quick since I got most of it done beforehand and then just sit back. I glance out the windows and through the trees, catching sight of a deer that will probably become food soon. I look away and at the piano this time, debating whether I should play or not.

In the end I push myself off the ground and slide on to the bench, smiling slightly to myself as I think of something to play. Once I have a song in mind I begin to play, losing myself in the music. I think about what I'm going to choose at the end of the week, better yet who I'm going to choose. ' _Myself or my Imprints, that's the question.'_

Esme's sweet chocolate chip scent envelopes me as my fingers glide over the keys, though my beautiful Imprint stays quiet. When the song is over I turn to face her, surprisingly not nervous that she was behind me, and smile.

"You play beautifully, just as well as Edward. What song was that?" Esme inquires curiously, coming to sit beside me on the bench.

"You Said You'd Grow Old With Me by Michael Schulte, it's one of my favorite songs from when I was a kid." I state softly, playing a few notes absently as I continue to smile. ' _This might be the most I've smiled since I was dating Liz and Danny.'_

"Will you play it again?" Never one to deny a beautiful woman, I begin to play once again.

" _ **I'd like to say I'm okay, but I'm not. I try, but I fall. Close my mind, turn it off."**_ I sing softly, looking away from my mate and down at the keys. " _ **But I can't be sober, I cannot sleep. You've got your peace now, but what about me."**_

" _ **Thought we had the time, had our lives, now you'll never get older, older. Didn't say goodbye, now I'm frozen in time getting colder, colder. One last word, one last moment. To ask you why you left me here behind, you said you'd grow old with me."**_ I can feel her eyes on me as I sing, almost fucking up the lyrics in the process.

" _ **We had plans, we had visions, now I can't see ahead. We were one, we were golden, forever you said. But I can't be sober, I cannot sleep. You've got your peace now, but what about me? Thought we had the time, had our lives now you'll never get older, older. Didn't say goodbye, now I'm frozen in time getting colder, colder. One last word, one last moment, to ask you why you left me here behind. You said you'd grow old with me."**_ I repeat the chorus once more, holding the last key before pulling my hands away quickly. ' _I'm not used to singing in front of a single person, I'm more comfortable in crowds.'_

"The lyrics are just as beautiful as the melody," She murmurs, my eyes drawn to her lips for a moment. "You have a wonderful voice, I forgot to tell you that yesterday."

"Thanks, I had a lot of free time as a kid so I practiced." I say in lieu of any real explanation. "Music was the one thing I've always had, no matter how bad my life had gotten."

"How many instruments can you really play? Edward only mentioned piano, guitar, and violin but I feel there's more to it." I chuckle quietly though I should be terrified that she knows me so well at this point.

"Guitar, violin, cello, drums, piano, saxophone, and trumpet. I tried to learn the harp at one point but it shredded my fingers worse than a guitar so I gave it up." I tick off the instruments on my finger, making sure I'm not forgetting one. "Oh, and the recorder. I played Hot Cross Buns better than anyone." Esme laughs at my shitty joke, the sound more beautiful than anything I could ever play.

"You're full of surprises Harper," I smile slightly at my mate, resisting the urge to kiss her senseless and instead sliding off the bench.

"I'm a man of many talents, Mrs. Cullen." I brag jokingly, brushing my hair back with a sigh. I glance down at my watch as I bite the inside of my cheek, mentally doing the math. "So it's already around noon-ish, we have three hours till the children are back so what do you want to do?"

"I need to hunt, do you care to join me?" I grin and motion for her to leave the room first, grabbing something from my bag before following. As soon as we step outside Esme is racing into the forest, leaving me behind with a happy giggle. I smirk and quickly run after her, easily catching up as she's probably holding back a bit.

I roll my eyes at the teasing smirk she's sporting and instead follow the scent of deer. I find the one I saw earlier and slink up behind it before pouncing, sinking my fangs into its neck. I greedily drain Bambi before moving on to another scent, this time a poor rabbit. ' _Just because I have to feed doesn't mean I have to like it.'_

I sate my hunger with a few more rabbits and foxes before going off to find Esme, stopping a few feet back when I see her drinking from a deer. She drops the body carelessly before turning to face me, lips still turned up in a smirk. She speeds towards me and taps my shoulder, eyes alight with fire as she speaks.

"You're it," I grin and run after her, tempted to shift though I think that would be cheating. I'm glad they live so far from humans as they'd probably be freaked out by the laughing blurs running through the woods. I catch up to Esme and reach forward to grasp at the back of her shirt but with how fast we're running I end up tripping over my own feet.

We tumble to the ground and since we're sort of downhill we roll, Esme ending up on top with a laugh. Our laughter fades until we're just staring at each other, my eyes immediately drawn to her lips that are well within reach. Thankfully Esme isn't as weak-willed as I am and hops off of me, brushing the snow and dirt off her with a small smile.

"I think we both need a shower," She states simply, tugging my off the ground with ease. "You can use the guest room, if you want." I nod and follow her back to the Cullen house, surprised at how deep in the forest we had really gone.

She leads me to upstairs and down the hall, stopping just outside the door across from her and Carlisle's room. She tells me to use whatever I want but I'm too distracted by our almost-kiss to really focus, just nodding along at the right moment.

I slip into the room without really studying it too much and then to the bathroom, marvelling at the large shower happily. I grab what I need from under the counter, slightly curious as to why there's Axe in here and not Old Spice. ' _Everyone knows Old Spice is better.'_

I strip off my dirty clothes while the water heats up, folding them on the counter and grabbing my phone. I turn on some music before stepping under the water, groaning as my muscles immediately begin to relax. Compared to my usual showers I take my sweet ass time, singing through a few songs with a grin.

When I'm done and I've dried off I realize that I have no clean clothes so I just wrap a towel around my waist. I stand in front of the mirror and trace the numerous scars, not just the ones on my chest. I leave the bathroom before I can make myself sad, surprised to find a set of clothes on the bed.

I pull on the jeans to find that they fit pretty well though the white long sleeve is a bit longer than I am. I pull the sleeves up to my elbows before pulling my Converse back on, brushing dirt off before leaving the room. I find Esme downstairs not even looking like she showered, devoid of dirt and wet hair.

"The kids will be here soon," She states offhandedly, not looking up from her laptop though I can tell she's sort of watching my reaction. I pull out my sketchbook to finish the sketch I started of Rosalie early this morning, having gotten the idea after a picture I saw.

True enough the others walk through the door a half hour later, Emmett laughing loudly about something. His eyes light up when he sees me, something almost comical on the large vampire, and then he's in front of me. I let him drag me off to play video games, switching out with him and Jasper every few rounds.

I leave when I hear the door open, the nerves I was feeling finally ebbing away when I see my blond Adonis. While he goes upstairs to change I slip outside with my old iPod in hand, eager for a minute to myself. I pry the back off and pull out a cigarette, my lighter coming out next.

I feel all the tension leave my body as I smoke, all my problems floating away. I toss this one on the ground and snub the flame with the heel of my shoe, pulling out another. I hear the door slide open behind me and then Carlisle's beside me, hands in his pockets and a small smile on his lips.

"You know, I think Alice's original description of you fits." My Imprint comments suddenly, not even looking at me when he speaks.

"Yeah, and what's that?" I ask, taking the conversational bait he's throwing out.

"She called you punk, though not in the bad way, just punk." I chuckle lightly, almost choking as I am exhaling smoke. "I think all your missing is the leather jacket and combat boot." He states teasingly, smirking over at me as I hold the still burning cigarette between my fingers.

"I had a leather jacket when I was 15," I admit quietly, rolling my eyes when the older man begins to laugh. "I definitely fit the punk look as a kid, especially with the tattoos and dyed hair."

"It wasn't always green?" The blond questions curiously, raising a brow at me as he eyes my plain black hair.

"No, I've been through the whole rainbow. I even dyed it rainbow for Pride Month, though I paid for that in the end." I reply, trying not to think of the ways I paid for my eye-catching hair. Carlisle is quiet for a second, head tilted a bit to his left as if he's listening to something. ' _Then again, he probably is.'_

"Are you ready to meet the Denalis?"

"Not really," I mutter as I snuff out my cigarette, stepping inside a second later. Bella smiles at me as I walk in, her hand patting my shoulder in a comforting manner as that familiar jolt goes through me. Edward, who was smiling at his wife, suddenly turns to me with confusion clear in his eyes. ' _He just might be on to me.'_

I follow them into the living room where three blonde women and a couple are sitting, the blondes taking up one couch while the couple is in an armchair. I end up taking a seat next to Esme on the loveseat while Carlisle stands beside us, almost protectively.

"When did you adopt another puppy?" One of the blonde women inquires, her gold eyes boring into me curiously.

"I'm a stray actually." I reply, not willing to let anyone get away with a dig at shifters without one of my own. Emmett snorts beside me as the woman begins to smirk, obviously not annoyed by my lack of respect.

"I'm Kate Denali, nice to meet you, Fido." I raise a brow at the nickname but shake her hand nonetheless, running a hand through my hair with the other. She and the others look confused which in turn confuses me, Kate grabbing my hand once again. "Why aren't you on the ground?"

"I'm sorry?" I pull my hand back and instead turn to Carlisle who seems as confused as the rest of us. "Anyone want to explain?"

"Katrina has the ability to pretty shock people, it's strong enough to incapacitate Emmett at full power. You seem fine though, young shifter." The man explains smoothly, his own gold eyes studying me as if I'm a lab specimen before they widen with realization. "A power magnet, how extraordinary." ' _Well fuck me.'_

Everyone turns to look at me as soon as the words leave the man's mouth, though Bella and Jacob still seem confused. My skin begins to prickle under their gaze, my wolf feeling cornered and afraid. ' _What the fuck is a power magnet?'_

"What's a power magnet?" Jacob finally asks, thank fuck, probably just as uncomfortable as I am.

"A power magnet is a vampire who can take another's gift, though it is not as strong. There has only been one in all of history, and I only heard about her from my time with the Volturi." Carlisle states, eyes still on me as he speaks though I'd rather they were anywhere else. "Aro had her killed immediately, out of fear that she would destroy them."

"Wicked," Emmett mutters, Rosalie quick to smack his chest.

"So what all can you do?" Jacob inquires curiously, leaning forward in his chair though it seems hard with Renesmee in his lap.

"I have my wings and I can heal, that's all. I'm not even a full vampire." I answer softly, just waiting for them to tell me to leave, that they don't want the trouble I've brought with me. They're quiet for a second but then Kate strikes up a conversation with Emmett, effectively drawing the attention from me.

Eventually the Denalis leave and I'm left alone with the Cullens who wait for me to lift my head before talking. I brush a hand through my hair nervously as Esme continues to grip my hand tightly, part of me noting how _right_ it feels.

"So Harper, can you like, fight really well?" Emmett asks excitedly, the large vampire grinning over at me expectantly.

"With or without my wings?" I reply bluntly, too tired to sugar coat. "Because either way, yes, I can hold my own in a fight."

"So like, you can totally go a round with me tomorrow, right?" ' _Hypothetically.'_

"If that's what you want, yeah, but what about teaching?" I question, finally letting go of Esme's hand, albeit reluctantly.

"School's over for winter break," Edward adds softly, still staring at me as I check my phone. I stare at a missed call from a slightly familiar number before hopping off the couch.

"Then yeah, we're on for tomorrow Emmett. I'll see you guys later," I leave without another word and run home, not even taking the time to shift. I call the number back and wait with bated breath, the words sticking in my throat when the caller picks up.

I throw my phone against the side of the house without another word, chest heaving. My head is swimming after everything that's happened and as my vision begins to blur once again I realize something. My Imprints know exactly how dangerous I am now, they'd be fools to want me.


End file.
